approached by another male, when he raises his hind legs and body, the antennæ drooping down along the face; the large eyes are a by his The female makes, perhaps, several deposits of eggs, of from two banded with red and yellow. dark reddish, and the limbs and transverse sutures of the body are two to thirty-six eggs cach, and she receives a male between deposit of a nest.

OVIPOSITING.

THE HATCHING PROCESS.

It is a most interesting proceeding to place ripe locust eggs under The female selects warm, dry knolls; it may be slightly so glass and watch the hatching process with a good microscope. The porous, but generally a stiff soil with tufts of grass cut or grazed s Young atrox pushes off the upper portion of the chorion and emerges or a hard cement bed covered with cobble stones; never soft plan his close-fitting amnion. His motions are maggotlike, and always ground or yielding sand. A favorite place is a slightly adobe spupward. When the glass is turned in any other direction, immedia dry meadow; and the first arrivals bore their holes down brately he changes his course too. It wears the amnion until reaching grass roots until that location is filled, or all around a half expair and light, though it should require several hours. If ruptured cobble stone; afterward the entire surface of the ground will be before free, the little fellow becomes stiff, and dies right there. In the forated. This curious proceeding is accomplished as follows: amnion he is soft and pliable, and by its aid, curiously disposed, he locust places the end of her abdomen upon the spot selected, removes upward with great force. He arranges this tough mantle into ing the rhabdites within, then expanding them with great for loose bands or concentric swellings encircling his body. The lower necessary; the material before them is torn away and packed to edge of each band is raised outward, like the flange of a wheel. When side, the hooks are again retracted and the abdomen extended, expanded the band edges take hold of the earth, while the baby locust the hooks again cope with and remove material, and thus a ho pushes his head upward. Advancing the rest of his person by conspeedily drilled to suit, from a half to one and a half inches detracting its body and drawing it towards his head, it again expands the The sebific secretion is then extruded and smeared over the bot rings, the flanges cope with the earth, and the head is advanced as and side of the hole, and the eggs are passed down one by one before-it may be with great power. Árrived at the surface, the little placed by the forceped finger in a nearly exact position side by white fellow, about twenty-hundredths of an inch long, lies on his the head of the embryo upward, and in three or four rows, of a side a moment, as if resting. Then commences a series of contortions, eight eggs each. The top of the hole is then filled with more of resulting in the bursting of the amnion across the back of the neck. at first frothy, cellular secretion, soon becoming hard and imper The slit extends soon around to nearly below the edges, sliding back to water. The position of the eggs-with the embryo upward fore and aft, allowing the facile creature to emerge, the back of the important to notice, as, this being essential to the safety of the neck first. The forward part of the mantle is soon slipped over the upon this fact is based the utility of plowing under the eggs, head and face, the antenna and jaws withdrawn, the white, shrivelharrowing them to the surface, if feasible, by which means they being mantle pushed on downward, while the legs and feet are being ungloved, and in the space of about four minutes the crumpled mass

addled.

When deposited the brownish eggs are of an inch long, slig is kicked off the hind feet. The little atrox is born now for the first curved, and so closely packed that the inner ones become hexage time. White, limber, and staggering at first, in about fifteen minutes By spring they are the size of rice kernels, and are plump cyline he becomes shining black, fully hardened, and as active as ever afterevery one, while the hard walls of the pouch have become softe ward. His eyes and head are relatively very large, his face at this and ruptured. This growing of insect eggs is one of the stran stage sloping inward, while there is never a sign of a wing; but sight, phenomena in nature. The eggs of ants increase ten times the orig hearing, legs, and appetite are wonderfully strong. size before hatching. Where does the material come from, and does it get within the egg? Locust eggs are first deposited in south California about the middle of June, in Sierra Valley about the of July, and they begin to hatch about the 10th of April and thel of May, respectively.

EMBRYOLOGY.

METAMORPHOSIS.

Most insects, in passing from the egg to the adult state, undergo great changes of form and habits, in some groups so varied at certain stages as to have been taken by the ancients as so many different animals. But there are some which, though differing greatly, do not A locust egg has two proper envelopes beside the outer hard spass their changes by decided gradations, and of such is the locust crust, corresponding to the white shell of a hen's egg. First be been carefully studied. The atrox perhaps has the same number, family. There are six stages of growth for the spretus, which have this shell is a yellowish tough membrane, the chorion. When requiring about weeks from the 10th of May to the 1st of this chorion is rendered soft and easily sundered in a certain July. Insects never grow, in the usual sense; the hard encasing seven a ring about the neck of the embryou-and in due season a cap skeleton does not allow of it; but they increase by sudden expanflies off from pressure beneath. The amnion is next a thin, tough, translucent membrane, or mantle, enveloping of the skin at the last molt it receives its wings and full size, is sions at regular intervals, called molting a bursting and shedding embryon and each separate limb like a glove. If placed in aited for procreative functions; is, in fact, fully born and ushered a few moments just before hatching, the amnion is rendered upon the most important stage of life.

parent, revealing the embryon with legs closely folded upoù

CHARACTER OF THE ADULT.

INSECT ENEMIES.

The Edipoda atrox, or "atrocious locust," of California, at m ity s Hy presents two so widely different forms as to be regarded by The most efficient locust enemies, though often unheralded and ficial observers as two distinct species if not seen in copula. unseen, are small animals of its own great class of insects. They difference dependent upon sex only. The males are the sma prey upon it from the egg to the adult, while roosting at night or about an inch long, the wings extending about a fourth ofving by day. It is one of the grandest class of laws in nature that beyond the abdomen, and expanding from an inch and a lil every animal in time meets with checks of one kind and another to its undue multiplication. Even the slowest breeding species would inches. The color of the body is a light yellowish-gray, or son overrun the country were the counteracting influences by any with dark lines on the thorax; the outer wings are ashy gray, means removed, while the more prolific species would do so in an blotches of darker gray along the middle. The females are al incredibly short space of time. one-fourth of an inch longer, or one and one-fourth inches long Plant-feeders are generally very prolific, and would soon annihilate twice as heavy, while the color of her body and wing-cases are their favorite plants. But mother Nature, kind alike to all, and cruel even to a reddish brown tint. The outer wings have a pale to all, advances her grand purposes, maintaining alive her myriads along the upper sides, and the field is blotched with large, ang of species, each warring upon the other and gaining temporary almost black spots. supremacy, until, in consequence of changed conditions, one species Both sexes have usually bright, yellow legs, and clear, transp after another in the long warfare of ages gradually becomes too weak underwings. A very dark variety has the thigh beautifully for its foes, so becomes extinct while others appear. roned with white and black, and a light line extending from the Let a gramniverous insect like the locust become numerous, and of the wing downward diagonally to the point of the hip, exactly at once its enemies-those that fatten and flourish upon it-invarithe marking of the Coloptenus atlanis described. ably multiply until they get the upper hand. Hence, a particular plant-eater may be terribly destructive one year and scarcely heard of the next, quietly checked by an unseen enemy. It is a comfort to know this, and particularly to find that no insect, seemingly, has more and fiercer enemies, within and without, than the locust. The Locust Commission describe and illustrate a host of some fifty or more, including parasitic mites no larger than pins' heads, flies, wasps, beetles, and the like, that either feed upon locusts themselves, or whose larva devour them or their eggs. The attacks of a certain wasp are entirely wanton, no use being made of the locust when killed.

The habits of the adult atrox, its destructive power, etc., have sufficiently illustrated by the "statements of sufferers" g Only a few more words are necessary to complete its natural hist The atrocious locust lives but one season; its busy life is spanne the lapse of about five months-from the first of May to the fir September. Death often overtakes them at their work of destruct or in copula, or while the female is ovipositing, with her abdo whitened and prolonged an inch or more into the ground. Nearly the whole bird family, from the swan to the pee-we valiant friends of man in the warfare with locusts. So importa this aid that public sentiment as well as legislation in all the protects the birds from wanton destruction. Prof. S. Aughey in tigated this subject for the Commission, and names two hu and sixty kind of birds in the crops of which he found loc Principal of these are domestic fowls, robins, blackbirds, larks, birds, swallows, snipe, plover, ducks, geese, doves, grouse, mag and crows.

In conversation recently with B. B. Redding than whom Cab nia has no more useful scientist-he described at length the and adaptability of the migratory Messina quail of Europe for abatement of the locust pest. It has already been introduced in England with success. The character of our great plains and of great valleys of California are supposed to be admirably fitted for useful bird, which, in off years of the locust scourge, would far excellent game.

THE RED SILKY MITE.

Chief among the parasitic enemies, and infesting alike the hated spretus of the interior and our atrocious locust, is a wonderfully interesting little creature but recently carefully studied, and its natural history cleared up by the Commission. So diverse are its forms at different stages that until 1877 it has borne several names, and was considered as belonging to two widely separated genera, for in its early stage it has six legs and is hairless; later it develops eight legs, and is densely covered with velvet. This mite first becomes evident to the common observer as a little, red, spider-like creature, hurrying over the ground in early spring. Close examination shows to have a thick, almost ovate body, covered with red, silky velvet, and four short, also silk-covered legs. and four short, also silk-covered legs. The male is the smaller, about the size of a pin's head, and distinctly narrowed toward the Several quadrupeds rally for the destruction of locusts, inclear. The female is as large as half a kernel of wheat, and tending to oblong in figure. moles, opossums, raccoons, and the common skunk, which for s service in this cause is voted a benefactor in the West. The of the interior, usually stolid, become quite excited at the app of locusts, not with fear, but joy, as they proceed to surround a of

In Sierra Valley it was most observed where locust eggs were most deposited, and proved a sure guide to their locality. It is said that the female lays 300 or 400 minute, orange eggs in a mass, an inch or two below the surface of the ground. They hatch just in a time for the desert, who, at sight of the coming cloud, falls on his face, locust has reached the adult or winged state. Especially late in the attacking the young locusts, but are generally unobserved until the

loud cries of praise to Allah and the Prophet for sending him fo

season may this parasite be seen, like little red bladders, attache

often a one

is the minute six-legged form, once called Astona. When fenduring attacks from all quarters. How this pest is fostered, or tion of her own species, she often remained motionless, martyr-like blood the legs can scarcely be detected near the mouth or bear when or how born, the writer cannot tell; circumstances prevented the locust. When a the examination necessary, at the right times. Professor Riley also attacked with several of these mites it becomes pale and weak, desires information.

THE BIG WHITE GRUB.

a seen vainly trying to scratch off the vermin, which for this re are found most numerous near the wings. When satiated, blood-suckers loose their hold, drop to earth, crawl clumsily av An enemy which has proved very destructive in Sierra Valley and the shelter of loose earth or stones, and then undergo a very sing transformation, coming out the beautiful, eight-legged, red vicinity is the larva of, as yet, an unknown insect. It is first observed mite, named by Professor Riley Trombidium locustarum, first deser as a large, yellowish white grub about half an inch or even threefourths of an inch long when extended, it being usually curved so In the adult state this insect preys upon the locust eggs, cree that the head and tail nearly touch. It is one-sixth to one-fifth of an down into the nests and voraciously eating their contents. In inch thick just back of the head and tapers slightly towards the tail, interior great plains they have been noted so thick on the galso flattened slightly, dorsally. It is usually found in a case of locust when hunting for eggs of the spretus as to give the soil a crimeggs which it has devoured, pushing the empty shells aside, and at color, and they have been credited with the total destruction of flest occupying the space where were 21 to 36 eggs. Often it is found egg crop in many places. a little space below a number of emptied cases as though it had feasted off the contents of several nests.

THE TACHINA FLY.

This watchful and industrious enemy resembles the com house fly, but is usually larger, gray-colored, with the tip of abdomen yellow. It does not prey upon the locust for its owns but for its progeny. With the most persistent and skillful m ments the Tachina follows the locusts, sometimes in swarms, and every opportunity darts upon them and seeks to deposit an egg the neck or under the wings, where it cannot be removed. One has noticed the conduct of a horse when beset by a bot fly, how strikes, or runs about almost frantic, as though in great pain, thr instinctive fear of bots, can imagine the desperate efforts of a lo when haunted by a Tachina. But the latter always succeeds. egg soon hatches, the maggot cats its way into the softer parts of locust, riots upon the fatty portions, leaving the vital parts unham until it becomes a large, oval, white object, distending the locus the utmost capacity of the abdomen, and bringing it into a state nearly inactivity. In due time its host, while perhaps trying deposit eggs, falls on her side and dies; a hole in her underside where the fostered maggot has gnawed out and escaped into ground to undergo its transformation.

THE CHALCID FLY.

No one has yet noticed this gormand at his welcome work. The same big grub infests the spretus, doing effective work, and though Professor Riley has taken much pains to learn its life history, having placed this larva for a year in his vivarium, and watched with care, they died without change. Specimens sent him recently from Sierra Valley excite much interest, as it was not known before that this enemy was found attacking atrox. With more specimens to be forwarded in the spring, he hopes to be able to determine the parent of this valuable friend of man. The writer ventures the suggestion that it will be found to be a species of Tipulidæ, or long-legged cranefly, abundant in our meadows. The grub was first noticed last April, 20th, in the egg deposits near Loyalton. This fall, September 7th, it was detected in great quantities near Sierraville, and afterwards in several infested spots of the valley. A handful of such soil will generally display ten to twenty cases of locust eggs, more or less emptied, and half as many of the fine, fat grubs.

TIGER BEETLES.

The larva of all the species of the genus Cicindela entraps young locusts into their cylindrical holes or seize them with their powerful jaws from the openings, while the swift-running and flying adults attack and devour the largest locusts. These beautiful insects are chief of their order in carnivorous habits and often fight one another with great ferocity. Their bodies are from half to threequarters of an inch long, the legs about the same length; the color is metallic blue, with green and gold elytra, with white etchings. Most of the species are fond of the hot sunlight, and are often seen runthing and flying by turns along ahead of one's path. The highly colored external parts make wonderfully beautiful objects under a microscope. Sierra Valley are the Anthonia egg-parasite, its little larva digging Other insects or their larva found attacking locusts or their eggs in into and devouring separate eggs; the egg-eating blister beetles, Cantharis; the larva of the two-lined soldier-beetle, Telephorus; the five-lined beetle, Epicauta, and the singular hair-worm, Gordius.

Another enemy greatly feared by the locust is a minute, ant-re bling fly of the Chalcis group. It has monstrous enlargements of hind legs just above the foot; yellow, lenticular, and prominent, sues the locust, and hovering over its head, attempts, by a quick of its ovipositor, to place an egg upon its head or in the sutures neck, meanwhile dexterously dodging the blows aimed at it by frantic locust. My close observing brother, B. F. Lemmon, and watched it particularly, when attacking female locusts oviposit Frequently the locust would duck and dodge about, strike with hind feet, or hasten away to another spot, but becoming weari perhaps more concerned in her work of providing for the conti

are

172

TRANSACTIONS OF THE

This creature infests the bodies of locusts, growing to be long which it sometimes claps together with a loud, rattling sound for a coiling all about the internal organs, distending the abdomen minute or so, while the insect is poised in the air about eighteen utmost before death ensues, and the Gordius escapes, burroshes above the ground, is entirely harmless, but the length of wing the earth and seeks a pool of water in which to finish its trans makes it capable and very suspicious. tions and lay its seven to eight million eggs. The common that those creatures originate from horse hairs is entirely error

REMARKABLE LOCUST INSTINCT.

A large, green-striped locust, two and a half inches long, having a large spine under its neck-so belonging to the Acridini, or Spinebearers-is common, feeding upon the plants of the Umbellifer famfily, found along streams and also upon garden vegetables of the group. The wings, however, are very short, while the body is large In connection with insect enemies a most remarkable phenom and its movement slow and clumsy. regarding locust movements is noticed in regions invaded The "coral-wing," one and one-half inches long, is common, disRocky Mountain locust one that may most probably be obtinguished by the pink or yellowish base of its under wings, its red here when understood and is best told in the language of Protibia, and by the clapping of its wings as it hurries away. A variety Riley: "Governor Morris, of Manitoba, started late in July of this species, flying late in the season, is very dark, almost black, from Winnepeg northwest to make a treaty with certain Indianswmother locust, about the size of atrox, and colored like the females, with bright pink wings. during the first five or six days of August he encountered has a very inward sloping face, while the atroz face is nearly vertical. swarms of locusts. The wind was blowing strong from the west his belongs to the Truxalid group of innocents. the time-just the right direction to carry them straight overi A fifth very beautiful species looks remarkably like the migratory Manitoba. The Governor watched their movements with the flanis described; has the same bright, contrasting colors, with the est anxiety, fearing that the Province would be devastated as if white line noted on the latter as passing obliquely down from the base been the year before. Yet during all the time he was passing thre of the wings to the thigh, also it has the very suspicious little spine the immense swarms they bore doggedly to the south and southander the neck. But it has only short, nearly useless wings, its thighs either tacking against the wind or keeping to the ground when are brightly chevroned with white and olive, and its tibia are a deliwind was too strong. Nothing was more remarkable than the ner in which they persisted in refusing to be carried into Manito A sixth, sometimes common little species, is the "grouse locust," a Mr. Whitney, one of the Assistant Commissioners, states: "I species of Tettix. It is only half an inch long, readily distinguished tling in 1877, the locusts avoided those localities in Minnesot from the young of other species by its having long wings, a small which they had hatched and done most injury previously, head, and its neck is large and full below-i. e., on the same plane selected such as had not suffered for some years past." "We with the rest of the thorax, and advanced upon the mouth like a induced to believe," remarked Professor Riley, "that there is muffler the latter characters putting it in the large and harmless than mere coincidence in this. Every careful observer knows group of Tettigine. This little fellow hibernates in the half-grown generally the locust, wherever they abound most numerously state like many of the preceding, and may appear during sunny infested with and debilitated by the red silky mite, and other enen winter days hopping or flying about, causing the alarm that "the We cease to wonder that locusts quit such a country as soon as locusts are hatching." wings become strong enough, and that invading swarms avoids localities. We may wonder at the instinct which guides them. no more than we must ever wonder at the many equally incom hensible instincts which guide most animals in the preservation: perpetuation of their species.'

Now, when it is remembered that the "hated" locust, like "atrocious" one, exists for a season only, and that these inva swarms which "insisted in not being carried over into Manite were young locusts just having acquired wings in the perma region far to the west, their conduct becomes the more wonder They could have had no experience of the danger ahead-must been warned by instinct, and that, too, an inherited and special

HARMLESS LOCUSTS.

TRUE MIGRATORS IN CALIFORNIA,

Not only are species of the destructive Caloptenus family known to species C. femur-rubrum, the "red-leg," and C. atlanis, the "lesser" have committed ravages on this coast since recorded events, but the locust, breed here regularly, and may at any time become abundant and migratory, hence their habits will bear close watching. To distinguish them we have only to familiarize ourselves with the distinguishing characters set forth where these species were described, and remember that other "red-legged" species have no spine; and that the beautiful similitude of the atlanis described has very short wings and blue shanks, while the wings of the atlanis arc often a fourth to half an inch longer than the abdomen, giving great power for flight. On August 18th, of 1877, Professor A. S. Packard, of the United States Locust Commission, found atlanis sparsely in the alfalfa fields about abounded in drier places, on the plains, and by the roadsides. At

Much alarm is sometimes occasioned by harmless grasshopper locusts, but a few words of description will distinguish them. large (two and a half inches long), wingless, beautiful resident Sierra Valley is often so regarded.' He is so slow in motion tha has been aptly named the "clumsy locust."

A large (two inches long), grayish locust, that has very long

Glenbrook, on the cast shore of Lake Tahoe, he found atlanis at ant in hay fields and wheat stubbles.

in her own good time is bringing in the most effectual checks, and so August twenty-third he entered Shasta Valley by way of Berry Other localities outlying Sierra Valley, toward the south and west, probably the scourge is overpast for the present. (Sisson's). Found femur-rubrum in abundance and atlanis less were visited and salted by late scattering flocks of the atrocious locust. mon, both in damp meadows, while the species of Edipoda wewerether they were too parasitised to deposit healthy eggs, or whether the hot exposed fields and by the roadsides. Found no dead le region, being new to them, will present suitable conditions for under the stones upon Shasta cone, as commonly found on the future grand multiplications and then devastations of contiguous regions and the great valleys of California, proper, only time can tell. At Portland, Oregon, August thirtieth, he found femur-rubrum any rate, as Patrick Henry said, "It is best to know the worst and the same next day at the Cascades of the Columbia; also, perhap beautiful species noted as being found in Sierra Valley so like but with short, useless wings and blue shanks.

FIGHTING THE LOCUSTS.

At Umatilla, Washington Territory, September second, he atlanis in abundance on the sage and grease bushes; also, the In Yosemite Valley and southern California he found only of œdipoda and no authoritative notes indicating that the migr 1. The eggs are deposited near the surface of the ground, in nearly locusts inhabit the region, but they may, nevertheless. an upright position. Where the egg deposit is susceptible of harrowHarry Edwards, the distinguished entomologist, whom Califoring, the scourge may be abated by harrowing the spots in the fall, have lately allowed to remove East with his choice collection of thus breaking up the egg-cases, changing the position of the eggs and sands of carefully preserved insects, collected the different s exposing them to be floated off by winter rains, or destroyed by other described in these papers within the limits of California, all ex vicissitudes of winter. The writer noticed that where cattle trod over the spretus. This fearful, long-winged, immensely abundant such places in Sierra Valley in the wet season the eggs became addled cannot thanks to the mysterious limiting instincts which govem and dried to mere shells. reach, much less cross, the Sierra barrier.

A careful consideration of the ovipositing process, the embryological conditions, the conduct of the young locusts, the adult characters, the habits and instincts of flying locusts, suggest a few methods of concerted warfare by human agencies:

The writer within the two last seasons has detected atrox at the lowing places: Plains of Colorado, San Gorgonio Pass, plains of Bernardino, gardens of Los Angeles, Mohave Desert, fields of Barbara, San Luis Obispo, Cholame Valley, Tulare Valley, San quin Valley, wheat fields of Merced, Yosemite Valley, Big Tree Gr Livermore Valley, San Ramon Valley, Santa Cruz, Santa Clara ley, side of Mount Hamilton, Alameda fields, side of Mount Di side of Tamalpais, Roseville Junction, Marysville, Chico, United St Fishery, McCloud River, Berryvale, near Shasta, Shasta Valley River, Goose Lake, West Valley, Surprise Valley, Humboldt De Pyramid Lake, Eagle Lake, Honey Lake, Big Meadows, Indian ley, American Valley, Mohawk Valley, Sierra Valley, Truckee M ows, Tahoe Lake, and Mono Valley. He has seen femur-rubrum atlanis at Santa Cruz, Yosemite, Tahoe, San Rafael, Berryvale River, Surprise Valley, Big Meadows, Sierra Valley, Truckee Me ows, and Carson Valley; but spretus he has never seen alive wi our State.

THE OUTLOOK.

And this is the comfort we may gather from all this investigat that our present California scourge, noticed in many places of years, and notably in Sierra Valley and vicinity, is not the hat spretus of the Rocky Mountains, liable in any fair day of mids to drop out of the sky in overwhelming myriads, but only a flying, local, and usually harmless species, which, for some rea has been of late unchecked. But the great number of parasites on them of late, the presence of the big, fat, egg-eater in such abu ance, and of the other enemies noted, almost demonstrate that nat

2. The baby locust escaping from the egg with his wonderfully adjustable amnion still upon him is able to wriggle himself up through two or three inches of earth, if it is friable; hence, if plowing of the spots is feasible, it must be done deeply, and perhaps followed by a heavy roller.

3. The young locusts travel off nimbly in given directions, and are not easily turned aside; hence they may be entrapped into ditches and buried.

4. While unfledged they usually hover under dried grass or other such shelter at night, and there remain until the warmest hours of the next day; hence, sometimes straw may be provided for sheltering them in places where it may be burned, destroying the insects. 5. The adult locusts are easily frightened off by diligent use of frightful objects and sounds; hence valuable crops may be profitably saved in this manner.

6. The females often select for ovipositing, dry, open places in meadows where the grass has been cut or grazed short; hence, machines like the Riley Locust Catcher of the interior might be used effectively.

But many of the deposits of Sierra Valley are in hard gravel ridges or beds of cobble stones lying in tough cement; hence, the two first measures, as also the fourth and sixth, are impracticable here and in like situations elsewhere. Secure in these plague spots the insect is found to breed, undisturbed, in vast numbers, and grow to maturity, are able, by multiplying parasites and other enemies, to conquer our and in such communities only the grand avenging laws of Nature formidable foe-the terribly destructive locusts.