sugar beets and cottun. Because of its effective warfare on these pests, the bhie 

 grosbeak is an efficient ally of the farmer and deserves to be protected. 



This handsome grosbeak enters the United States only in Texas. Arizona, 

 and New Mexico, and comes in contact with cultivated crops less than the four 

 related species. Like the blue grosbeak it is more fond of caterpillars and grass- 

 hoppers than of other insects. Weevils are next in order of preference. The 

 parrotbill ranges over much of the cotton belt of Texas and feeds upon two im- 

 portant cotton pests, one of which — the boll weevil — is one of our most destruc- 

 tive insects. Cotton worms also are highly relished, as many as 18 having been 

 found in a single stomach. In August and September seven-tenths of the gray 

 grosbeak's food is weed seed, five-tenths consisting exclusively of the seeds of 

 two of the most important weeds of the South, namely, foxtail and bur grass. 

 So far as known, the gray grosbeak eats practically no beneficial insect and dam- 

 ages no crop. This, in .addition to the fact that it feeds upon noxious weed and 

 insect pests, entitles it to complete protection. 



Three of the grosbeaks, the rose-breasted, bl.ick-headed. and the cardinal, 

 are charged with pulling more or less seed grain. This fault, however, is not 

 very serious, since it is well known that repellent mixtures applied to grain before 

 sowing protect it completely. Although the fact is not so well known, grain so 

 treated can be sown by machine, jirovided the following directions are observed : 



"Put one-fourth to one-half bushel of corn for other grain] in a half-barrel 

 tub ; pour on a pailful of hot water or as much as is necessary to well cover the 

 corn : dip a stick in gas tar and stir this briskly in the corn ; repeat until the corn 

 is entirely black: pour off onto burlap (bran sacks are excellent) ; spread in the 

 sun and stir two or three times during the day. If this work is done in the morn- 

 ing and the day is sunny, the corn will be ready for the planter the next day 

 without other care. The hot water softens the tar, so that only just enough 

 will adhere to the corn, and the corn is completely glazed by the sun." 



Ethan Brooks, who recommends this method, considers it by far the quickest 

 way of tarring corn, and states that for vears he li.'is jilanted with a machine corn 

 treated in this way. 



In cases where grosbeaks or other small birds are the (.>nly ones that injure 

 seed grain, it is probable that the above precaution may be safely omitted. Drilled 

 grain, especially if j)lanted by a machine which packs soil over the seed, is safe 

 from their attacks. If the birds simply nip off the leaf, no ]iarticular harm is 

 done. Indeed in some cases the crop is benefited by the stooling this process 

 stimulates. 



Standing grain may lie insured against the attacks of small l)irds by planting 

 a few- rows of millet on the edges of the field. Millet is a prime favorite with all 

 grain-eating birds and should be sown so as to ripen at the time the grain is 

 exposed to damage. 



Grosbeaks sometimes steal corn from cribs, hut the remedy is obvious. A 



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