DATA CONCERNING LOCUSTS IN TEXAS. 
[59] 
17. No information of any means having been employed to destroy the winged in- 
sects, or to protect crops from their ravages, they haviug left as soon as their wings 
were developed. 
18. No information of any. 
19. This immediate vicinity, as well as the entire coast country of the State for a 
breadth of from twenty-five to seventy-five miles, has never been visited by the insects. 
20. This State was visited in 1858. 
21. Blackbirds and meadow-larks destroyed large quantities of both the eggs and 
the young insects, but without apparent effect on their numbers. 
C. A. SMITH, 
Sergeant Signal Service, V. S. A. 
U. S. Signal Station of Observation, 
Eagle Pass, Texas, July 1, 1877. 
To the Chief Signal Officer of the Army, Washington, D. C. : 
Sir: In obedience to instructions dated Office Chief Signal Officer, Washington, 
D. C, June 9, 1877, I immediately upon my arrival at this station began using all 
available means of collecting the information requested by the United States Ento- 
mological Commission. 
This section being sparsely settled, and only few persons of superior intelligence 
having observed any of the facts in reference to the appearance and habits of the 
"Rocky Mountain locust," I am unable to forward as complete a report as I would 
wish to render, I having only arrived here a short time ago, but all the data collected 
are embodied in the following: 
PREVIOUS YiEARS. 
In September, 1873 (no specified date), there appeared at this place, suddenly, im- 
mense swarms of locusts, coming from a northerly direction. The direction of their 
flight followed tbe Rio Grande River for about 30 miles in its course to the Gulf. For 
about five days the multitudes kept traveling over this place, descending to the ground 
at sundown, and remaining below until shortly after sunrise the next morning, when 
all would rise in a body and resume their flight. 
The weather during this visitation was very dry and sultry, and the prevailing 
wind northerly ; the damage done immense. 
These locusts left an immense amount of eggs behind, which at the beginning of 
spring, t. e., the latter part of January in this section, began to hatch. Then it was dis- 
covered that the eggs had been laid over a tract of country nearly 2 miles wide, having 
the Rio Grande River for its center, and following its course, but'to what distance I am 
unable to ascertain. The wingless insects were harmless in the early stages of their 
owth, but as their development proceeded the work of devastation begau. Iu the 
st part of May, 1874, tbey began to move, not flying, but crawling. The fact has 
been observed that the movements of these swarms of young locusts were in exactly 
the opposite direction to which their progenitors had traveled. They seemed to re- 
trace the steps of their ancestors. Those hatched on this side of the Rio Grande River 
moved north towards the settlements, and on their way everything in the shape of 
vegetation was totally consumed. Those hatched on the Mexican side of the Rio 
Grande took a direction west of north, and the work of devastation was equally great 
in the parts of Mexico they passed over. 1 am assured on good authority that, when 
leaving this section, they were too young to fly, and their march was carried on crawl- 
ing and hopping. 
Towards the latter part of May, 1874, all had left and planting was begun. 
Now, these young locusts before leaving had deposited eggs, but the eggs of the 
young ones are not very plentiful and sparsely distributed. The people of this section, 
while this occurs, do not mind it much, as the damage done by ibis not very numer- 
ous offspring is never considerable. 
In September, 1875, another large swarm of locusts made its appearance, coming 
from the same direction, i. e., north, but their numbers were not as formidable as those 
of the previous year. These insects deposited their eggs, who were hatched the ensu- 
ing spring, i. e., latter part of January, 1876. The numbers of the young ones coming 
forth was comparatively insignificant, and having in their turn deposited their eggs, 
they left about first half of May, 1876, in a northerly direction. 
1877. 
The only locusts that appeared in this locality in the present year are those that 
were hatched from the eggs deposited by the insects mentioned as having departed 
from here in May, 1876. Their numbers are insignificant, and they are about full 
grown ; they remain in this locality. 
