LocHsl JJ'ird.^ ill the Transvaal. t)l 



are instructed to report on any birds they see destroying 

 locusts. 



In tlie following paper I have prepared some notes on the 

 most useful birds, as nearly all birds eat locusts ; even grain- 

 eaters often feed their young on insects, and should there be 

 some young voetgangers at hand would naturally take them. 

 1 have, however, selected those which have been noticed by 

 myself, or on which we have reports from the District Locust 

 Officers, or private observers. 



When the system of arsenic spray was introduced, the 

 danger of poisoning useful birds presented itself. Experience 

 has, however, taught us that the poisoned voetgangers have 

 no ill effects on the birds in general, and even domestic fowls 

 do not suffer harm. Still, orders are always issued to the 

 District Locust Officers, and the farmers are warned not to 

 spray with arsenic where locust-eating birds ap])ear in any 

 number, not because of the danger to these birds, but because 

 they are quite able to destroy the voetgangers without any 

 assistance. Should there be very large swarms of these 

 insects, as was the case, for instance, last year in the Rusten- 

 burg District, the birds cannot eat them all. Small scattered 

 swarms are an easy prey to birds. 



It is a notable fact that birds only attack the flying locusts 

 from behind, and I have never seen birds, with few excep- 

 tions, flying intentionally into a travelling swarm. They 

 seem to tear the rushing noise, or know that a wind-driven 

 locust travels with great force, and can hurt anything which 

 it strikes. I am sure most people have experienced this, 

 when they happened to drive or ride into a wind-driven 

 locust- swarm. 



I have often noticed that locust-eating birds lie quite flat 

 on the ground when a swarm passes overhead. 



I have observed tame pigeons becoming accidentally mixed 

 up in a travelling locust-swarm ; they seemed to be quite 

 helpless, fluttering about, darting here and there in tryino- to 

 get out of the way, as the moving insects strike them, and 

 when they had reached a place of safety were quite 

 exhausted. 



