11 
the case, crops invariably suffered to a lesser or greater extent front 
their depredations. These visitations were so limited in extent and 
inconspicuous in their nature that but little attention was paid them 
at the time. There were other insect enemies that were attracting no- 
tice and required the attention of the planters, whose chief crop had 
been cotton. The Cotton Worm (Aletia xylina) had so increased in 
numbers as almost to render the growing of cotton an impossibility ; 
but, owing to the perseverance of those interested, that insect has at 
last been reduced to such an extent as to be under control. Until 
within the past three years these grasshopper or locust depredations 
escaped popular notice (save during the visitation in the Fall of 1876 
of the migratory species). Since this time, however, their increasing 
numbers and frequent damage to crops have been too great to be over- 
looked even by the most unobserving. They have appeared at widely 
separated localities, and although not committing general injury are 
known to have eaten away several of the outside rows of cotton and 
corn in fields bordering waste lands and ravines grown up with weeds 
and other rank vegetation. Not until last year, however, did the plague 
reach such a magnitude as to cause alarm ; and this only after the 
total destruction of crops upon plantations situated in different locali- 
ties and in adjoining counties. 
Referring to notes taken while in the field, I find the following re- 
marks : “ There appear to be several species of the locusts which are 
causing the trouble here, and all seem to have had similar egg-laying 
habits. In looking about I find the larvse of Melanoplus differentialis 
or M. robustus , M. angustipennis , M. atlanis , and Acridium frontalis. The 
last three species are in about equal numbers, while those of the first 
are by far the most numerous, and this is the only one which is charged 
with last year’s depredations. I am not quite positive whether the large 
species is M. differentialis or M. robustus , as these two species are very 
nearly related, and I have never seen authentic larvae of the latter. 
To-day (April 23) I found an old specimen of a male robustus , and was 
assured that it was one of the genuine offenders, while yesterday the 
femora of differentialis were pointed out to me as having belonged to 
1 the very kind’.” 
During my sojourn in the infested region I observed M. atlanis , fully 
fledged, quite frequently, while walking about the fields, while others, 
with those of M. angustipennis , were still in the pupal stage. These 
latter, with those of Acridium frontalis , were exceedingly common, and 
together nearly or quite equaled in number those of the larger species. 
These three, while not always mingled with the former, were generally 
to be found with them ; especially was this the case upon rather damp 
ground at the edges of ravines and grass patches, and also in fields of 
small grain. 
While the Rocky Mountain or Migratory Locust prefers rather solid 
soil upon somewhat elevated open fields and closely grazed pastures for 
