NATURAL ENEMIES OF THE LOCUST. 
271 
differing from that figured on p. 317 of our First Eeport in nothing but 
its slightly larger size. Of it he says : 
Wo have (to us) a new locust exterminator, that in certain localities kills and buries 
large numbers. It appears to kill the locust by stinging him, thrusting into his body 
an egg which hatches in a few days into a little grub. 
The same species is referred to by Prof. J. G. Lemmon in a letter dated 
Sierra Valley, California, July 18, 1880 : 
I hear much and see a few specimens of a species of Pompilus, which has been seen 
very active in catching, stinging, and dragging locusts into holes dug in the sand, and 
covering them hastily — then seize new victims in rapid succession. 
CHAPTER XIV. 
COURSES THAT MAY BE ADOPTED BY THE GENERAL GOV- 
ERNMENT TO LESSEN LOCUST INJURY. 
The First Report of the Commission was the result of labors directed 
against the unfledged locusts as they hatch out in the more fertile por- 
tions of the Mississippi Valley and ravage the crops in what we have 
designated as the Temporary region. An equally important — nay, more 
important — problem left for solution was how best to destroy the insect 
in its native or permanent breeding-grounds, or how to prevent the de- 
structive migrations of the winged insects from the Permanent region 
to the more thickly settled and fertile country. As intimated two years 
ago, the solution of this problem, if at all possible, would require sev- 
eral years of investigation. The writer has been deeply impressed with 
the importance of concentrating all efforts of the Commission to the 
obtaining of facts that bear directly on this important question. Of 
the different means that have been suggested we mentioned six more 
particularly, in our first report, and discussed some of them hopefully, 
as follows : 
" 1. The protection and encouragement to the increase of the native 
locust-feeding birds. 2. The introduction of foreign locust-feeding birds. 
3. Inducements offered to the Indians to collect and destroy the eggs 
and young. 4. Destroying the eggs or young by making the greatest 
possible use by artificial means of the natural water-supply. 5. Burn- 
ing the young in spring. 0. Diverting winged swarms by means of 
smoke. 
" While every one of these suggestions might be carried out in excep- 
tional cases to advantage, and while it is the intention of the Commission 
to endeavor to acclimate certain foreign locust-feeding birds, 339 yet the 
339 In the summer of 1878, with the cooperation of Mr. Montague E. Leverson, of Lev- 
erson Eanch, Douglas County, Colorado, we imported two dozen English rooks with 
a view of sending them out to be acclimated in Colorado and in the belief that this 
bird would prove one of the most useful to acclimate there. The birds were badly 
handled on the voyage and detained in the custom-house in New York, and we ar- 
