Proceedings, l!tl5. 43 



benefit of the Forestry Branch and the ranchers of the Nicola Valley. Without 

 trespassing on the grounds of this uiemorandnni, I may say that I found that the 

 spread of these locusts commenced from the Minnie and Courtenay Lake Districts, 

 and that they travelled north at least as far as Kamloops, and extended west as 

 far as Merritt and east as far as Kelowna. These areas are merely arbitrary as 

 representing the probable centre of the infestation. The investigation into the 

 Nicola country was begun in the first week of November. 1914, a very uupropitious 

 time to study the adults, for very few could be found, and those adults found were 

 dead and mutilated in the stacks of hay. Tlie eggs were easily found, and in some 

 instances in extreme numbers, indicating clearly that no disease of the adults had 

 destroyed the females before their eggs had been laid. Where eggs were found in 

 concentrated area, blister-beetle larva; were also numerous enough, no doubt, to 

 effect a fair means of control by next spring. Eggs oii the range were normal and 

 apparently healthy; consequently there is every indication that we shall again be 

 bothered by the adults next sunniier unless one of the usual periodical diseases 

 intervenes. I gathered that the outbreaks occur every seven years or so, and that 

 the years when the locusts were most numerous and did most damage were 1889, 

 1S98, 1907, and 1914. and that great damage was effected for about three years 

 surrounding these dates. It is interesting to note that in one of Dr. Fletcher's old 

 reports for 1898 (late Dominion Entomologist), on the authority of Dr, Scudder, the 

 following species were involved : " The great mass of material was Trimcrotropis, 

 probably cincta." Out of the balance he made out the following species : Camnulla 

 pclUtrUla. Cercotettix verruculatus, and MelanopUis aflanis. These species were 

 named from specimens from the Nicola District. 



The next paper is one written by Mr. Lionel E. Taylor on " Notes on Birds 

 likely to be of Service in the Destruction of Locusts in the Nicola Vallej'," and will 

 ask Sir. Anderson to read this paper. 



NOTES ON BIRDS LIKELY TO BE OF SERVICE IN THE DESTRUCTION OF 

 •GRASSHOPPERS IN THE NICOLA VALLEY. 



By Lionel E. T.wlor, F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., Assoc.JIem.A.O.T'. 



The following notes are based on the reports on economic ornithology issued by 

 the t'nited States Department of Agriculture and from other sources; they do not 

 pretend to be in any way complete, as the literature at my disposal is limited. The 

 species of birds mentioned are those which may with some certainty be presumed 

 to occur in the Nicola Valley in considerable numbers. There are many other species 

 which occur in small numbers or at infrequent intervals, but these have been oniitteil. 

 as it is not thought that they could be of economic importance. 



It must be pointed out that almost all birds will eat grasshoppers at certain 

 times, and especiall.v when they are feeding their young. It is also important to 

 note all investigation points to the fact that grasshoppers are exceedingly palatable 

 to birds, and that when an incursion of these insects occurs a great many species 

 of birds will depart from their usual diet and live almost entirely on grasshoppers, 



t'nfortuuately there are no birds in this country which e.vist in such numbers 

 as to be able to seriously cope with a large outbreak of grasshoppere as is the case 

 in many other countries, and notabl.v in Africa, where such birds as storks, i)ratin- 

 coles, kestrels, and others are capable of destroying entlrel.v enormous swarms of 

 locusts by. their own efforts. In case, however, any doubt may exist on this point. 

 I may mention that these flocks of birds frequentl.v contain tens of thousands of 

 individuals, and that they follow the swarms of locusts sometimes for weeks on end. 



It must not be i)resumed from this that because we have no such enormous 

 flocks of birds ver.v litle good can result. In California, whore grasshoppers are 

 aniuially a plague in one part or another, often numbering twenty-five to the square 

 yard, it is conceded that the birds are not able to cause an aiii)rccialili> decrease in 



