29 
Destructive Appearances. — California has in former years had its 
locust plague. Many devastating swarms visited the Pacific coast region 
during the latter half of the last century and the first half of the pres- 
ent, while for 30 years after this period no general destruction was com- 
mitted. But there is no means of positively identifying these devasta- 
tions with the species that committed them. The accounts are old, and 
no descriptions or specimens have been preserved. We can only judge 
from such later appearances as have furnished us with exact data. It 
■?:- 
Fig. l.—Caloptenus devastator: aual characters of male; a, from above; b, fromside; c, fiom below — 
enlarged (after Riley). 
is most probable that G. devastator, as intimated by Scudder, commit- 
ted a large, if not the larger, share of these depredations. Accord- 
ingly we will, under this species, notice the destructive California ap- 
pearances, which we give in brief from the first commission report. 
Gamnula pellucida, another destructive California species, which is 
noticed further on, doubtless also assisted in many of these invasions. 
In 1722, 1746, 1749, 1753, 1754, 1765, 1767 it appeared in California. 
(Mr. A. S. Taylor, Smithsonian Report, 1S5S.) The following, up to 1S85, 
are from the same authority (?. c.) 
1823. Franciscan Missions of Upper California. 
1627 or 1828. "Ate up nearly all the growing crops." 
1834 or 1835. " Destroyed the crops of the raucherosand missions, with the exception 
of the wheat." 
1838-1840. For these three years destroyed the crops and gardens about San Francisco 
and San Rafael. 
1846. Corn and frijoles completely consumed on the Salivas Plains. This was a dry 
year in California. 
1852. Near Centrevillej Alameda County, California, also in Oregon. They were no- 
ticed in the same locality every year since up to 1877, hut in very moderate 
numbers. (Lorenzo G. Yates.) 
1855. The most noted year for 10 years on the Pacific coast. — California, Oregon, and 
Washington Territory. Great damage and many immense flights witnessed 
in this regiou. 
1856. Lower California small numbers. 
1859. Pitt River Valley, California, 
1802 or 1863. Horintos, California, 
1866 or 1867. Swarm 15 miles wide seen near Stockton, California. 
1869. Tulare County, California, 
1873. Lower and south California, 
1877. Fresno County, California. 
1885. San Joaquin Valley of northern California; southern Oregon. 
