PREFACE. 
This Second Report of the Commission on the Rocky Mountain Lo- 
cust is the result chiefly of the labors of Messrs. Packard and Thomas, 
in their efforts to solve a most difficult problem, namely, the permanent 
amelioration of the locust evil by preventing the excessive increase of, 
the destructive insect in its native habitat, and its disastrous migra- 
tions therefrom. 
During the year 1878 the labors of the Commission were seriously in- 
terfered with, first, by an inadequate appropriation unavailable till the 
1st of July; second, by the time required of Mr. Riley in publish- 
ing our first report; third, by the warlike disposition of the Indians 
that year, which rendered travel unsafe and sometimes impossible in 
many parts of the country to be explored. Dr. Packard visited por- 
tions of Colorado, Wyoming, Utah, and Idaho, and also received infor- 
mation from others regarding the presence of locusts in these Territories, 
and especially in Montana and Eastern Oregon. He found that this was 
a normal year, and the locust was found to occur throughout all these 
Territories in greater or less numbers, but usually only in scattering 
swarms ; still, damage of a serious nature was done to crops in portions 
of Montana and Utah. To particularize, in Colorado scattering indi- 
viduals occurred all over the northern counties, both on the plains and 
on the mountain summits. Small swarms occurred in Estes Park, South 
Park, and among the mountains of Gilpin County, where eggs in large 
numbers were laid. 
Wyoming, on the whole, was less infested than in 1877, though large 
swarms were observed on eclipse day at Como Station on the Union 
Pacific Railroad, and local swarms were observed on Gilbert's Peak and 
on Ham's Fork late in August. In Utah locusts were a severe scourge 
in Summit County, one-half the wheat crop having been destroyed by 
them. They were also abundant in Cache and Malade Valleys, which 
indicated danger in Northern Utah the ensuing year of 1879. None 
occurred south of San Pete, Utah. He found that in Eastern Idaho 
locusts were abundant from the Utah line to the Montana line, especially 
at Franklin and at Taylor's Bridge, and local swarms were observed 
about Shoshone Lake. 
In Montana local swarms were destructive to farms on Stinking- Water 
River and Ryan's Canon and about Bozeman and Sterling as well as 
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