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The Emarginate Locust—( Acridium emarginatum ) appears to prefer, 
if it does not feed exclusively on the leaves of tall, rank weeds. I 
remember noticing at one time a large number feeding on some hemp 
growing on the bank of the Missouri river. 
Oedipoda Carolina or the Carolina Locust, so readily distinguished 
by its broad, black wings with a yellow band around the border, is 
fond of dry and somewhat barren spots, that are but partially or scantily 
covered with low vegetation. It does not appear to be a voracious 
feeder. I have never observed them congregated in any considerable 
number, except at one point, this was a vacant lot in Washington 
city, where for a number of days large numbers were collected. It is 
apparently innoxuous, although common throughout the United States. 
The Goathead Locusts, ( Tragocephala ) especially the Green-striped 
Locust (TV. viridifasciata vajr. virginiana) and the Dusky Locust (same 
species var. infuscata are so common that it is thought by many that 
they must be injurious. My observations have not confirmed this 
opinion. The Green-striped variety may occasionally be guilty of doing 
some slight injury to useful plants but never, so far as my experience 
extends to a degree to call for attention. 
The Red-legged Locust ( C. femur-rubrum) is beyond comparison the 
most injurious species that the agriculturists of Illinois have to con¬ 
tend with. The actual loss occasioned by all the other species com¬ 
bined, will fall far short of that occasioned by this species; unless it 
be that the Lesser Locust (C. atlantis) is much more abundant through¬ 
out the State than I, think it is, and much more injurious elsewhere 
than in the southern part of the State, where it appears to most 
abound. If I may judge from collections of Calopteni made in the 
northern part of. the State, it appears to be comparatively rare ‘there. 
The readers of the Chicago daily papers will probably remember notic¬ 
ing an account during last summer (1879) of immense numbers of 
grasshoppers observed floating in Lake Michigan, between Milwaukee 
and Racine. They had been blown into the lake by a severe storm 
the day before they were observed floating there. Millions of them 
were thrown upon the beach near Racine, some of which Dr. Hay, 
the well-known scientist of Racine, Wis., had the kindness to procure 
and send me. The number sent was about one hundred and some two 
or three, more or less, yet not a single specimen of C. atlantis among 
them. In the collections made by Miss Smith, at Peoria, while she 
was acting as my assistant, I do not recollect to have observed a single 
specimen of C. atlantis , although carefully examining the large number 
of Calopteni preserved. Even in the central part of the State, where I 
made some examinations last summer, at points unusually troubled by 
locusts, I detected but few of this species; C. femur-rubrum and C. 
bivittatus being the prevailing species, the former largely predominating. 
During some seasons Caloptenus differentialis becomes quite abun¬ 
dant. I remember two seasons when it appeared in great numbers in 
limited areas in the southern part of the State. In 1876 and 1877 
several swarms of this species were observed in flight; one of these 
was observed at Champaign, and one at Cairo. I had the opportunity 
of examining in person a large number of the latter swarm, as I ar¬ 
rived in Cairo the next morning after they came down, and saw 
thousands of them yet in the streets and clinging to the sides of the 
houses. 
