, 1874-12-28

Ets History alsd Peculiar Eunbit9

Rt8 History tl13u Iectai3lr Fanb1f6s
My position Ill charge Of tho immigration l'u-
roal,.of Nebraska, ono OF tho Staten ravaged in
part by tho g1asshoppor, has led mc to inquire
into tho history nld peculiar habits OF these do
Htrnctiye insects.
hayo consulted 1nany pcrsonn who have given
tho subject mitch attention fur n,any yeara. Tho
Btatcmcuta nntt opinions OF tIleso HUMOROUS per-
aouB do hot entirely lArsnonize. but tl!oy nt,roo
substantially III tho most Important respects.
The abiding homo Of the erassl,oppcr iH found
on the high, dry plntoaus Of Now MoXtco and
Arizona, and Tho southern foothills Of tho Rocky
Mo1lntuina. Ihoro thpy aro alsrays, fur it il
pecia}iy aiaptot to this ond they multiply With
astonishing raptdity. aud become too numerous
to subsst.
Then, like bees, they swarm aud migrate TO
other countries. They follow no rule OF omi.
grafton. but 10 with the wind. They ily until
thoy become Weary aud hungry, and then drop
down to rest and cat. They do not all 10 ut
onco nor to QUO placo. They become widely Hop-
nrate1 and much divided after starting hut in
uln1ost any case, whether the grand army or
OF tho sea. myriadH OF millions. Coming III tho
distance they looIi lille light cloud snpidly rid
ing OIL the wind, nnd under tho blazing noon-tany
aun they glitter like anow-ilakes. extending from
ncnr tho ground TO the height Of af mile, but
cast gloomy shadow OIL tho earth. Whom tley
drop down to feed, oYory green and gay thing IL
coyorcd in n moment, and tho earth is gray aud
d;sulal. Only fow things do thoy lisrclisli-as
sorghum broomcorn, and the peac!l. Wheat
and oatH. When tho Btraw or grain III groen, aro
dovourcd in 4 few hours.
Whom tic atraw or grain Is somewhat dry aud
tough, they cat off tho stem just below tho
hoad, and tho grain falls to tho ground.
Corn il thor staple, they 70 for tho tassel and
acra,hling and crowdlng each other like hungry
pigs They aro very fond OF potatoes, beans,
aud cabbage h1,t onions arc their lnost delicious
1morao,l11thoy will dig into tho ground for tho
last particle.
Usually ,hcv fomain not moro than twenty -four
to fortyeight hours i'll place, 1t Tho wenthor is
warm and tho Aky clear but sometimes o week.
ii tho mir IL chilly and very Damp and the Hkv
cloudy. After lonying their natiro home, they
have mover bccn known to propagate III their
twico in thu history OF tho Untca States. Some
whit mora frequently thoy l,Ayo been known to
hatch during tho second year. But out Of twon-
ty swavlns luis has happened only thrce times.
lii otlor caBoY they hayo ended tlieir oxislonce
and their race, in any given nlacc, i1i one year.
OF tl,oBc MhlcA invaded Nebraska this year,
1871, tho t'rst swarms laid oggs Il, Heyoral conn
ties but tho long, dry fall matched them out,
mud thus stopped further production.
tho awaruls that casno last Bcemnd to have
hoon kAtchod tao far north aud too latn in tho
soason 10 como to maturity, mud consequently
Isoy laid no eggs. All these persisted In tho first
irosts
1t will be seyoral years boforo their natiyc land
will bo ovorcrowded, aud when thoy riHe up To
migrate they will bo Us likely to go in Quo droo-
tioil NJ another.
From extensive correspondence In Nebraska,
Kansas, Iowa, and hl,nnosotn, It IL nscertninna
that 10 oggs llayo beoi' mid that will hatch next
spring, except in part Of ono county III Kansas.
Ever Bis'ea the year 1S40 tho plainH haye hoe,4
travelled over nstantly, aud the movements oi
thia Dasart Locust ~ it should bo called, hare