13S Recent Literature. [jan. 



following birds have been found to eat ticks; those eating Texas-fever 

 ticks are: Killdeer (Oxyechus vociferus), Upland Plover (Bartramia longi- 

 cauda), and Meadowlark (Sturnella magna); net ticks (Dermacentor 

 occidentalis) : Dwarf Hermit Thrush (Hylocichla guttata nana) ; castor-bean 

 ticks (Ixodes sp.): Boat-tailed Grackle (Megaquiscalus major), Meadowlark, 

 and House Wren (Troglodytes aedon); and Gamasus sp.: the Wren-tit 

 (Chamcea fasciata). — W. L. McA. 



Economic Ornithology in recent Entomological Publications. — 



The greater prominence given to bird enemies of insect pests in recent 

 entomological publications is a source of gratification to bird lovers. In- 

 creased recognition of the services of birds is common to both State and 

 Federal entomological organizations, and in recent bulletins of the U. S. 

 Bureau of Entomology, in particular, comment on the relations of birds 

 to the insects discussed is seldom lacking. 



Four papers on cereal and forage insects issued by the Bureau of Ento- 

 mology during the present year include notes on birds in the discussion 

 of natural checks of the insects treated. Fourteen species of birds, which 

 the Biological Survey has found to feed on the clover-root curculio (Sitones 

 hispidulus) are listed in Mr. V. L. Wildermuth's bulletin ' on that beetle, 

 and the statement is made that "natural enemies, such as fungous disease 

 and birds, have without a doubt contributed largely towards holding the 

 insects in check." 



The clover-root curculio belongs to a genus of beetles closely related in 

 appearance and habits, which do a large amount of obscure damage, 

 principally to clover. Few genera of beetles occur more frequently in bird 

 stomachs than Sitones. Six species are known to be eaten and Sitones 

 unidentified as to species have been found in the stomachs of 49 species of 

 birds. On account of the present more complete indexing of Biological 

 Survey records ten species can be added to the list of 14 Wildermuth gives 

 as enemies of S. hispidulus. The complete list is: Upland Plover, Killdeer, 

 Ruffed Grouse, Broad-winged Hawk, Flicker, Nighthawk, Chimney Swift, 

 Wood Pewee, Crow Blackbird, Meadowlark, Lincoln Finch, Song Sparrow, 

 Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Purple Martin, Barn, Tree 

 and Bank Swallows, Northern Water-Thrush, Catbird, Chickadee, 

 Hermit Thrush, Robin and Western Bluebird. 



The English Sparrow comes in for condemnation along with an insect 

 pest in an article 2 by W. Harper Dean on the sorghum midge (Contarina 

 sorghicola). Both the bird and the inssct curtail the number of sound 

 mature seed produced, so that in parts of many sorghum-growing States 

 a profitable crop cannot be secured. The work of the sparrow is much 

 less important than that of the fly. Sorghum heads partly destroyed by 



i Bull. 85, Part 3, Bur. Ent., March, 1910, p. 37. 

 = Bull. 85, Pt. 4, Bur. Ent., May, 1910, pp. 39-40. 





