BIRDS AND WEEDS 



already been planted with mealies. I asked permission 

 to open the crops of those he had slain. Every crop 

 contained a variety of weed seeds and larvae of various 

 insects. 



The average quantity of weed seeds consumed by 

 ordinary birds such as weavers, widow birds, and bishop 

 birds, all of which are popularly termed " vinks," 

 amount to about 25 lbs. per bird every year. Doves 

 will eat their own weight of weed seeds every day if 

 the seeds are sufficiently abundant. 



The majority of game birds devour immense 

 quantities of weed and water grass seeds, as well as 

 mature bulbs which rob the soil of moisture and 

 plant food, and often seriously reduce the stock- 

 feeding value of land. I have found as many as 

 4 ounces of weed seeds in the crop of a partridge. 

 The average crop content of one of these birds at 

 midday is 2^ ounces of seeds of weeds, cut-worms, 

 beetles, grasshoppers, and other insects. Guinea- 

 fowls perform an immense service in eating weed seeds, 

 locusts, locust eggs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and 

 larvae which live underground, and which, in conse- 

 quence, escape the attentions of the bulk of other 

 species of birds. The guinea-fowl, however, does 

 considerable mischief on newly-sown lands, for it is 

 able to eat j, lb. of grain at a feed. Out in the wilds, 

 and especially in game preserves, it renders great 

 service in preying upon the larvae of blood-sucking 

 and other flies, gorged female ticks, etc., and is 

 therefore a factor in checking animal plagues. 



Game birds are of great economic value in our 

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