102 REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 
But one well-attested ease of locusts or grasshoppers being driven into 
the waters of a gulf or lake in this country, except instances where 
swarms have fallen into Salt Lake, is known. This occurred in August 
of 1879. A vast number of C. femur rubrum were observed floating in 
Lake Michigan, between Racine and Waukegan. So numerous were they 
that myriads were cast ashore by the waves in winrows along the beaeh. 
A hundred specimens of these, collected by the well-known naturalist 
Dr. Hoy, and sent to Mr. Thomas, were all of the species named. These 
were cast into the lake by the severe wind-storm of the day preceding 
that on which they were observed. 
The writer of this chapter, after a careful examination of all the ac- 
counts he could find of locust swarms actually observed falling into the sea, 
is led to the conclusion that as a very general, if not an almost universal 
rule, they .are driven against their will by severe wind. The chief ex- 
ceptions, if there are any, appear to be where they attempt to cross over 
large bodies of water, as to the Canary Islands, from the African shore. 
In such cases their coming down may be accounted for in several ways 
consistent with what we know of the laws governing their flights, with- 
out resorting to the hypothesis of the abnormal propensity heretofore 
mentioned. It may be on account of the difference in the temperature 
and humidity of the atmosphere already suggested. It may be occa- 
sioned by meeting an adverse current of air, or that the current on which 
they are borne is fading out. 
Kirby and Spence record an example of the great flying power of the 
locust. The ship Georgia, which sailed from Lisbon to Havana with a 
light wind from the southeast, found itself on the 21st of November, 181 1, 
at a distance of 200 English miles from the Canarian Islands, the near- 
est land; suddenly there came on a calm, a light breeze rose from the 
northwest, and at the same time there fell from the clouds a countless 
multitude of great locusts, so that they covered the deck, the masts, and 
every part of the ship on which they could alight. They appeared not 
in the least tired, but sprang, on the contrary, quickly up when it was 
sought to catch them, and tried to escape. The calm or a very light 
breeze lasted a full hour, and during this time a shower continued fall- 
ing upon and around the vessel. 204 Otto von Kotzebue observes, in his 
Voyage round the World, that the course from Plymouth to Teneriffe hav- 
ing been very long, protracted by many calms, only one noteworthy cir- 
cumstance struck him. namely, a vast multitude of locusts, with which 
the sea was covered for many miles. 205 
It is possible that these voyagers, possessing such keen eyes, in search- 
ing out the green fields of the plains, are deceived by the dark green hue 
of the sea. Aeronauts could possibly enlighten us on this point. 
It is somewhat strange that Koppen, after showing, as he does, that 
locusts avoid wooded and mountain regions, should accept Darwin's ex- 
'"Intrortuction to Entomology, Ofeen's Edn., vol. i, p. 246. 
Ki Allgemeinr geographischc Ephemeriilen von Bertuch. 19r Jahrgang. Feb. 1806, p. 254. 
