The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1875-08-13

A correspondent Of the St. Louis RcpuJE-
cum who has been Observing the habits of
the grasshoppcrs in the interior Of Missouri
describes their method of taking fight as
| follows:
"Grasshoppes, to say the least Of them,
are queer insects They muster in force at
regular hours, then depart; and this pro-,
gramme has been followed without variation.
in that vicinity for the past three or four
days. Between 1880 and II o'clock a. m.,
| they congregate in swarms, ottentimes COW
| cring from one-quarter to half an acre, or
more They now begin manpuvering for q
good start and in order to attain an alti-
tude fly against the wind in a zig-1ag man.
ncr. Large swarms soon reach q great height
where they mingle with other swarms, and
thus in vast myriads pass away to the north
east Yesterday those at the highest point
went in a northwestorly direction, it being
observed they were carried along with the
winds force No accurate conception could
be made Of their height. Shielding the eye
| with an umbrella from the sun, they appear
one vast snow fall, travelling at the rate of
tcu miles an hour. From the space OF one
| hundred feet above the ground to an alti-
tude beyond correct demonstration, they APP
| pear in myriads, although it was clearly OBJ
| served the larger part attained the upper cur
rent. Beginning their flight in swarms, they
maintain the same order throughout. For
minutes the suns light is almost shielded,
| when for a time none are observed, again to
be followed by millions more of the tiny
| host
at low altitude, barely passing tops Of
tall trees, thousands of Aoppars fly in VEN
turesome way unable TO obtain the proper
height. In few days, however, they gain
| sufficient strength and then form part of the
| departing multitude, and so the flight keeps
on. The eye grows weary with upward
watching, but the moving hosts form pan
Drama in the heavens on which the toiling
husbandmen gaze with unspeakable joy.
AT noon the procession lad reached its
grandest proportions. The voracious pests
pour forth in one exhaustles5 swarm, their
| tiny bright wings glistening like silver in the
sunlight. A hawk sailing ut its usual height
WIS III DCIOW lllS llDsl NCllllrSsOlc. IOWaft
| two o'clock they decrease in numbers.
Swarms grow percoptibly less, and soon
few stragglcrs alone are visible, slowly fol-
| lowing the line of march Another half
hour and all have passed for the day.
These flights have taken place daily at
The hours named for the past three or four
| days, and from the best information learned
extend eight miles southwest from Windsor
and several miles northeast of that place.
1t is said by persons that these pests also
| fly the same hours during the night as day,
weather permitting, their flight being plainly
discernable when passing before the bright
moon. Already threc-fiths of these depre-
dators have departed. During early morn
ing hours myriads of them fly short dis
tanccs over the prairies, evidently strength
ening their wings and preparing themselves
for the general fight.
Farmers are greatly encouraged. In To-
calites where fields have been ravaged, farm
ers are preparing to replant corn, which,
even if it should not mature, will make ex-
Cellent cattle feed.