[GO] REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION 
Answers to inquiries in Circular No. 1, Department of the Interior, Office of tlie Entomo- 
logical Commission. 
(Note. — As the Rocky Mountain locust lias not arrived at nor departed from this 
section in swarms during the present year, and the inquiries have reference particu- 
larly to the present year, I am only able to answer a few.) 
4. At the opening of spring, i. c., latter part of January in this section. 
5. At the opening of spring. 
6. It is supposed that a severe cold would seriously interfere with the hatching 
process. 
7. In low places and valleys, especially in black soil, where little or no sand is 
found. 
8. In low places and especially in black soil, where little or no sand is found. 
9. During May. 
11. Injury done slight. 
12. Garden vegetables; most of all, lettuce. 
13. None that I could name. 
14. Muskmelon. 
15. It has been observed that the prevailing direction in which the young ones 
travel is in the direction from whence their progenitors come. They commence thoir 
march beforo they are able to fly, and the masses move crawling and hopping. 
16. The moans employed in this section for the destruction of the unfledged insects 
wore only rude attempts at burning them. To protect crops from their ravages close 
brush fences are used, and are said to prove very satisfactory. 
17. To protect crops from the ravages of the winged insect fires have been kindled 
and a dense smoke to cover gardens; but this is of almost no use whatever. Flowers 
and garden plants have been wrapped up and covered, which was partly successful. 
19 and 20. Answered in paragraph headed "previous years." 
21. Chickens, turkeys, partridges, snipes, mocking-birds, red-birds, blackbirds, crows, 
swallows, ducks, eat locusts with great avidity ; but I am informed that domestic fowls 
after a few days tire of this food. 
I am, sir, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 
FREDERICK BELFORD, 
Private Signal Service, U. S. A. 
Laredo, Tex., December 7, 1877. 
To the Chief Signal Officer, U. S. Army, Washington, D. C. : 
Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith the report called for in letter from the 
Chief Signal Oilice, June 9, 1877, relative to the United States Entomological Com- 
mission circular. 
The data inclosed are very meager in details. The circular was received too late to 
make any observations, as tho young grasshoppers were hatched and disappeared long 
beforo the circular reached this station. The figures denote answers to the questions 
similarly numbered in the United States Entomological Commission Circular No. 1. 
I, 2, 3, 4, 6. Grasshoppers did not make their appearance here this year. 
5. No observations taken. 
7. Nature of soil within a radius of 60 miles light loam. 
No observations taken on distribution of eggs. 
8. No observations taken. 
II. Very little damage done in this county. Amount of damage in State not known. 
12. In the early spring, in the few gardens in the vicinity, tomatoes, radishes, corn, 
and garden stuff generally suffered about equally from the young grasshoppers. Gar- 
dening is carried on by irrigation. In the surrounding country nothing grows but 
a stunted mesquite and the cactus. 
13. Farming is not carried on on a sufficient scale in this vicinity to tell the crops 
that sufier most. 
15. No observations taken. 
16, 17, 18. No attempt made to destroy them. 
20. This section was visited in 1875 and 1876. They made their appearance in those 
years about the beginning of November. No observations were made at the time. 
21. Chickens, guinea-hens, and turkeys devoured them greedily. In the county 
wild turkeys, chaparral cocks, mocking-birds, cardinal birds, and a bird called by the 
Mexicans "one-tacoches," were particularly fond of them. 
Respectfully submitted. 
JNO. McGLONE, 
Sei'geant, Signal Service, U. S. A. 
