SOME NOTES ON NEBRASKA BIRDS. 79 



writing about these birds as insect destroyers Professor Samuel Angbey 

 writes :* "I happened to be in the Republican valley, in southwestern 

 Nebraska, in August, 1874, when the locusts invaded that region. 

 Prairie chickens and quails, that previous to their coming iiad a 

 large number of seeds in their stomachs when dissected, seemed now 

 for a time to abandon all other kinds of food. At least from this on- 

 ward for a month little else than locusts were found in their stomachs. 

 All the birds seemed now to live solely on locusts for a while." 



In winter and at other times of the year when insect life is scarce 

 and difficult to obtain these birds feed more or less extensively upon 

 seeds and other kinds of vegetation. Some even enter cultivated 

 grounds and seek food that belongs to the farmer, thereby doing more or 

 less direct injury. The extent of such injury, of course, depends upon 

 the number of birds engaged in the depredations, and also on the time 

 over which it is allowed to extend. If corn and other grain is har- 

 vested at the proper time but little damage ensues; but if allowed to 

 remain in the field throughout winter much of the crop is liable to be 

 taken by the birds. 



289. Colinus virginianus (imn.).— Bob- white; Quail. 



Greater part of state — breeds (L. Bruuer); "Common in Nebraska" 

 (Aughej); " Resident, common " (Taylor); " the greater portion of Nebraska" 

 (Bendire); "West to Dakota, Kansas, Indian Territory, and eastern Texas" 

 (Gosa); Beatrice, De Witt — nesting (A. S. Pearse); Omaha — breeds (L. Skow); 

 Cherry county — breeds (J. M. Bates); Elm Creek, Elk Creek, Wood River, 

 Verdigris, etc. (D. H. Talbot); Gage county (F. A. Colby); Omaha, "formerly 

 an abundant resident, gradually becoming rarer, although still comparatively 

 common, breeds April 15 to Aug. 1 — two to four broods" (I. S. Trostler). 



Perhaps no other bird that frequents the farm pays higher prices 

 for the grain it eats than does the Quail. Living about the hedge- 

 rows, groves, and ravines, where insect enemies gather and lurk during 

 the greater part of the year, this bird not only seizes large numbers of 

 these enemies daily during the summer months when they are "abroad 

 in the land," but all winter through it scratches among the fallen leaves 

 and other rubbish that accumulates about its haunts seeking for hiber- 

 nating insects of various kinds. Being a timid little creature, the 

 quail seldom leaves cover to feed openly in the fields, and therefore 

 does but little actual harm in the way of destroying grain. In fact it 

 Only takes stray kernels that otherwise might be lost. 



*See 1st Rept, U. S. Ent. Com., p. 341. 



