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est benefit was derived from great flocks of blackbirds that congre- 
gated in nearly every infested field and ate the worms. The worms 
that survived burrowed into the dirt and spun silken tubes about 2 
inches in length, in which they are spending the winter in the larval 
condition. 
Grasshoppers are always abundant enough in Colorado, but the 
past summer much of the State has been comparatively free from 
the introduced species (J/elanoplus bivittatus Say, M. differentialis 
Thos., and J/. femur-rubrum DeG.), which are the cause of heaviest 
losses to farm crops. A native species, Anabrus simplex Hald, com- 
monly called ‘“ Mormon cricket” or “ Idaho cricket,” occurred in 
unprecedented numbers in portions of Routt County. Many of the 
ranchmen became alarmed and inquiries were sent in to the experi- 
ment station to know what could be done. In past years the “ crick- 
ets” have remained almost entirely upon the native ranges, where 
they did no damage to cultivated crops. For a series of years the 
cricket armies have been increasing in numbers and have marched 
steadily eastward until this year, when they entered cultivated 
regions along the mountain streams and destroyed crops of grain, 
potatoés, and hay, as well as everything planted in gardens. The 
infested region, which is over 50 miles from the nearest railroad, 
was visited by both Mr. S. A. Johnson and the writer, and much 
information was gathered in regard to the habits and past history 
of this interesting migratory grasshopper. The results of our in- 
vestigations will appear later in an experiment station bulletin. 
The potato flea-beetle (4 pitria cucumeris Harr.) was unusually 
abundant in the potato fields of the Greeley district the past summer, 
where it caused many thousand dollars’ worth of loss to potato grow- 
ers. A prominent potato dealer estimated the loss at fully a half 
million dollars. The beetles were abundant upon the tops, but did 
their chief harm by boring into the tubers. From larve taken in 
the tubers in September, pupz and adults were obtained. Press 
Bulletin 23 of the Colorado Experiment Station, treating of this 
insect, was prepared by Mr. 8. A. Johnson. I am calling this insect 
the potato flea-beetle because it is always found congregating upon 
potatoes and tomatoes, and seldom occurs upon cucumbers or other 
cucurbitaceous plants, so far as my experience goes. 
A beet leaf-miner, probably Pegomya vicina Lint., has been abun- 
dant enough to attract considerable attention the past summer, 
particularly in the northern sugar-beet fields of the State. The 
maggots were noticed in the leaves of young beets the first of June, 
and they were very abundant in all stages during the last half of 
August. The white eggs are deposited singly or in groups of two, 
three, or four upon the under side of the leaves. 
