90 The Rocky Mountain Locust. 



upon dry leaves, paper, cotton and woolen fabrics. They 

 have been seen literally covering the backs of sheep, 

 eating the wool ; and whenever one of their own kind is 

 weak or disabled_ from whatsoever cause, they go for him 

 or her with cannibalistic ferocity, and soon finish the 

 struggling and kicking unfortunate. They do not refuse 

 even dead animals, but have been seen feasting on dead 

 bats and birds. Few things, therefore, come amiss to them. 

 Yet where food is abundant they are fastidious and much 

 prefer acid, bitter or peppery food to that which is sweet. 

 The following resume of my notes and observations may 

 prove interesting : Vegetables and cereals are their main 

 stay. Turnips, rutabagas, carrots, cabbage, kohlrabi 

 and radishes are all devoured with avidity ; beets and 

 potatoes with less relish, though frequently nothing but 

 a few stalk-stubs of the latter are left, and sometimes the 

 tubers in the ground do not escape. Onions they are 

 very partial to, seldom leaving anything but the outer 

 rind. Of leguminous plants the pods are preferred to the 

 leaves, which are often passed by. Cucurbitaceous plants 

 also suffer most in the fruit. In the matter of tobacco 

 their tastes are cultivated, and they seem to* relish an old 

 quid or an old cigar more than the green leaf. Tomatoes 

 and sweet potatoes are not touched so long as other food 

 is accessible. 



Of cereals, corn is their favorite ; if young and tender, 

 everything is devoured to the ground ; if older and drier, 

 the stalks are mostly left ; the silk is, however, the first 

 part to go. All other cereals are to their taste, except 

 sorghum and broom corn, which are often left untouched. 

 The bearded varieties of wheat have been less damaged 

 in Minnesota, by the winged insects, than the smooth 

 varieties. They are fond of buckwheat and flax, but 

 seldom touch castor beans, except to feed upon the flower. 



