552 EXPEEIMENT STATION RECORD. 



The most importaut birds in the control of the boll weevil are swallows, 

 orioles, blackbirds, and meadow larks. Detailed statements are given regard- 

 ing the extent to which different species of bii'ds feed npon the boll weevil. 



Birds of California in relation to the fruit industry, I, F. E. L. Beal ( U. .S'. 

 Dci)t. Ayr., Biol. Survey Bui. 20, pp. 100, pis. 5). — A thorough study has been 

 made of the economic status of all the common birds observed in California 

 orchards. In estimating the economic position of these birds much stress has 

 been laid on the nature of the food of each species for the whole year. The 

 depredations of birds in orchards are often due to the failure of the natural 

 food supply. In protecting orchards against fruit-eating birds the author 

 recommends planting mulberries or wild cherries and providing suitable water 

 supply for birds. 



Detailed accounts are given of the feeding habits as determined by held 

 observations and examination of stomach contents of the house finch, western 

 tanager, swallows, vireos, wrens, nuthatches, titmice, kinglets, gnatcatchers, 

 robin, shrike, westerh bluebird, etc. lu the case of all species which eat fruit 

 at all it was found that the destruction of injurious insects and weed seeds was 

 sufficient to counterbalance the harm done by the birds. Even the western 

 robin which at times feeds almost exclusively on olives is held to be a beneficial 

 species on the whole. 



Bird protection, E. H. Forhush (Mass. Crop Rpt., 20 (1901), No. 5, pp. 29- 

 .',0). — A historical account is presented of the development of ganie and bii-d 

 protection in Massachusetts. Special mention is made of legal protection for 

 water fowl, shore birds, upland game birds, pigeons, nongame birds, etc. 

 Needed reforms are prohibition of spring and summer shooting, resident hunt- 

 ing licenses, prohibition of the sale of game bii'ds, and the establishment of 

 bird preserves. 



Biolog-ical study of parasitic protozoa, (i. Lindnp:r (Arch. Wiss. u. I'rakt. 

 Thierheilk., 33 (1007), No. J,-5, pp. J,32-JtJ,J,, pi. i).— Biological and descriptive 

 notes are given on Colpidivm colpoda, Miescher's sacs, and \'orticella. 



The animal enemies of sugar cane, W. Van Deventer (HandboEk ten dienstc 

 van de Suikerrivt-CuUuur en de Rietsuiker-Fahrieuge op Java. AmMerdam, 

 1906, pp. XXIII+298, pis. Ji2, figs. 71'). — This volume contains an elaborate ac- 

 count of the mammals, birds, insects, mites, Crustacea, and worms which attack 

 sugar cane. Each i)est is described and notes are given on its habits and 

 methods of attack on sugar cane. The rei)ort is based on the conditions found 

 in Java, but many of the insect pests have a much wider distribution. The 

 text is well illustrated. 



Notes on insect, fungus, and other pests, R. S. Macdougall (Jour. Bd. Agr. 

 [London^, 14 (1907), No. 5, pp. 290-300). — Arsenate of lead is recommended in 

 combating brown-tail moth. Cetonia aurata and Ilarpahis ruficornis are re- 

 ported as injuring strawberries. A species of Baridius was found boring in the 

 stem of cabl)age. Brief notes are also given on cabbage maggot, frit fly, 

 aphides, and sawflies. 



Injury from frit fiy may be partly avoided by early sowing, liberal application 

 of fertilizers, and the destruction of wild grasses about grain fields in winter. 



How to control injurious insects and noxious plant diseases, (}. W. 

 Hekrick (Mississippi ^V«. Bui. 102, pp. I'l, figs. 3).^Brief directions are given 

 for the preparation and application of Paris green, arsenate of lead, arsenite 

 of lime, carbon bisulphid, lime-sulphur-salt wash, kerosene emulsion, pyrethrum, 

 Bordeaux mixture, formalin, and other insecticides and fungicides for the con- 

 trol of insect pests of crops and animals and the common fungus diseases of 

 plants. 



