2 
The recent wide-spread appearance of three destructive conta¬ 
gious diseases of the chinch bug, and a consequent diminution of 
its numbers, makes it seem at last unlikely that any extraordmaiy 
loss will follow next year in the territory which has been so ong 
infested. , . v 
The present account will be limited chiefly to the most peculiar 
features of this eruption, and to the new knowledge game y 
careful study of its course. _ . 
The following table of loss by the chinch bug m Illinois during 
the year 1887 (when its injuries were most severe) is demed 
from' assessors’ reports to the office, made as explained undei 
another head. The figures against the name of each county indi¬ 
cate the number of townships from which was reported the grade 
of loss indicated by the word at the head of the column; and the 
number of townships heard from in each county is shown by the 
sum of the figures against the name of that county in all the 
columns for each crop. 
