178 ANNUAL- REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



and foxes have been unusually abundant and destructive, and as a 

 result game birds and game mammals have been reduced in num- 

 bers. The foxes and wild cats are also valuable in agricultural 

 regions in destroying mice. We can learn of but few raids upon 

 poultry by predaceous birds or mammals, and we are convinced 

 that the result of the extermination of such birds and mammals 

 has been detrimental to the interests of the husbandman. 



(12.) REPORT OF SPECIAL ZOOLOGICAL FEATURES DURING 1903. 



It is important that an annual record should be made of the 

 striking zoological features within our State for each year. This 

 will, in the course of time, prove of value, not only to the students 

 of zoology, but also to the husbandmen. In accordance with this 

 idea we here offer the following brief report upon the zoology 

 of our State during the year of li;U4 and the winter of 1903-4, 

 which may not be of an economic nature, but of such scientific im- 

 portance as to be worthy of record in our Annual Report. 



Insects. The Praying mantis {Mantis religiosa) , which is a very 

 beneficial predaceous insect in Europe, has been accidentally intro- 

 duced into certain portions of ^Vmerica, especially in the vicinity of 

 Rochester, N. Y., and during the year we received reports of the 

 occurrence of this •desirable insect in two of the counties of our 

 State. These were Luzerne and Northampton. It is to be hoped 

 that this insect will continue to thrive and multiply in Pennsyl- 

 vania, as it is especially desirable as a destroyer of obnoxious 

 species of insects. The Japanese Mantis (^Tenodera sinensis) has 

 also become established near Philadelphia, and will prove valuable 

 as a predaceous insect. 



The Wheat Saw-tly borer ( Cephus pygmanis) has been found de- 

 structive to the wheat in Elk county, although 1 have not yet been 

 able to learn definitely of its occurrence in other portions of the 

 State. It is with regret that we have heard of the appearance of 

 this pest within our borders. 



Birds. During the summer the turkey buzzards or turkey vul- 

 tures ( Cathartes aura) were unusual in their northern flight. These 

 liave been seen as far north as Williamsport, and a few at State 

 College, Centre county. Pa. Although this beneficial scavenger 

 is so common as to occasionally nest in the southern portion of 

 our State, its occurrence in the northern part is very rare. 



During the fall a cardinal, or red bird i^Cardinaliscardinalis) was 

 seen by us in Centre county, which is, as far as we can learn at 

 present, the only record of this beneficial bird at that latitude and 

 altitude. 



The American crossbill {Loxia curvirostra minor) was abundant 



