FIELD- INVESTIGATIONS IN 1906. 23 



cotton fields and run about among the old stalks in search of food. 

 Thirteen specimens have been examined, of which 3, taken in Novem- 

 ber, had eaten a total of 4 boll weevils. 



BROWN THRASHER. 



Brown thrashers are common winter residents in Texas and Lou- 

 isiana, inhabiting thickets and brushy timber. Only 1 of the 38 

 specimens examined had eaten a boll weevil. 



INVESTIGATIONS IN THE SUMMER OF 1906. 

 riELU CONDITIONS. 



At the time field investigations Avere being conducted in 1000 

 (August and September) boll weevils had reached about their maxi- 

 mum numbers. In nearly every locality visited they were more 

 abundant than at a corresponding date in 1005. The damage to the 

 crop in many sections was very serious ; in others the infestation came 

 too late to injure much more than the " top crop." 



During September the weevils made their annual migration, and 

 at that time large numbers of them were captured in the air by birds 

 that feed on the wing. 



Birds were rather scarce in east Texas and Louisiana, but abundant 

 in south Texas. Of the 314 specimens collected about one-fourth had 

 captured boll Aveevils. At one locality (Victoria) 42 per cent of the 

 birds examined had eaten boll Aveevils. 



SUMMARY OF OBSERVATIONS. 



Lo(jans2)ort^ La., August 2o-27. — Weevils were abundant here and 

 had damaged the crop very considerably. Late planted cotton espe- 

 cially had been able to mature very few bolls. The fields here are not 

 extensive, so that the weevils were concentrated on the comparatively 

 small area of cotton bearing buds and bolls. Thirty plants were 

 examined and 78 weevils found. Five larvae were found in one boll. 



Birds were scarce here, excepting woodpeckers. Nineteen speci- 

 mens were taken, most of them in the brush bordering a cotton field 

 close to the river. Only 2 birds liad eaten boll weevils — a crested fly- 

 catcher, which had eaten 3, and a mockingbird, which had eaten 1. 



CoJifmhus. Tex.^ Septeniher Jf-O. — Cotton was in fine condition here 

 and a fair crop of bolls had already matured. Squares were 

 still abundant on the plants, but over 50 per cent of them were 

 punctured. Weevils were numerous, 48 having been found on 40 

 l)lants. (irasshoppers also were abundant and furnished food for 

 many birds. Cotton worms were present in small numbers. Birds 

 were not connnon about the cotton fields, though a a'ood manv were 



