no 
THE STUDY OF INSECTS. 
The 
legged 
In this case each wing-cover serves as a fiddle, and each hind¬ 
leg as a fiddle-bow. Second, other species rub together the 
upper surface of the front edge of the hind-wings and the 
under surface of the wing-covers. This is done while the 
locust is flying, and the result is a crackling sound. 
There are very many species of locusts in the United 
States. We have space to refer to only a few here. 
most familiar member of the family is the Red- 
Locust, Melanopliis femur-rubrum (Me-lan'o-plus) 
(Fig. 120). It is more abun. 
dant than any other species 
throughout the United States, 
except in the high dry lands 
of the central part of the 
Fl°. wo.—Meltinoplusfemur-rubrum. continent> Here the Rocky 
Mountain Locust, Melanopliis spretus , abounds. This spe¬ 
cies closely resembles the red-legged locust, except that it 
has longer wings. It is this insect that sometimes migrates 
into the lower and more fertile regions of the Mississippi 
Valley and does such great damage. It will be remembered 
that at one time it almost produced a famine in Kansas and 
the neighboring States. Fortunately the young of this 
insect hatched in the low regions are not healthy, and die 
before reaching maturity. Consequently the plagues caused 
by the emigration of this insect are of short duration. There 
are several other species of Melanoplus common in this 
country, but they can be distinguished only by very careful 
study. 
The Clouded Locust, Encoptolophus sordidus (En-cop-tol'- 
o-phus sor'di-dus) (Fig. 121), is very common in the Eastern 
United States during the 
autumn. It abounds in 
meadows and pastures, and 
attracts attention by the 
crackling sound made by 
the males during flight. Its F|C - 121 -—Encoptolophus sordidus, 
color is dirty brown, mottled with darker spots. 
