36 BULLETIN 107, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



Two song sparrows collected in May had been doing good work 

 on the weevil. In one, 5 larvae and 1 adult formed 24 per cent of 

 the food, while in the other 22 larvae and 2 adults comprised about 

 three-fourths of the stomach contents. Besides this the former had 

 eaten a cricket and a large cutworm, and the latter two click beetles 

 and a spider. 



A single bird taken in June had destroyed 29 larvae, which made 

 up nearly two-thirds of the food; the rest of the contents included 

 three click beetles, a caterpillar, three plant lice, two ants, a snail, 

 seeds of three weeds, and a little grain. 



As the song sparrow spends much of its time in early spring in 

 localities selected by the weevil as places of hibernation, it must be 

 looked upon as a valuable agent in the control of the pest. It also 

 aids in the reduction of the number of larvae later in the season. 

 This bird, along with several other native sparrows, is frequently 

 confused with the English sparrow, especially by the small boy 

 engaged in killing the latter for bounty. This not only is one of the 

 most potent arguments against a bounty system, but also reveals 

 the need on the part of people generally of a more intimate knowl- 

 edge of the appearance and economic value of insectivorous birds. 



LINCOLN'S SPARROW. 



(Melospiza, Uncolni Uncolni.) 



Lincoln's sparrow is a fairly common migrant in Utah, and was 

 found in considerable numbers during April, often in company with 

 its relative the song sparrow. Being almost entirely terrestrial in 

 its feeding, it is seldom seen by the casual observer. 



This bird renders its best service as an enemy of the weevil in 

 destroying hibernating adults hidden in the localities it frequents in 

 early spring. Each of three birds examined had fed on the insect, 

 and it composed 8f per cent of the food. Adult insects were taken in 

 every case and were eaten at an average of about two per bird. 

 Among the remaining food were found the clover-root curculio 

 (Sitones sp.), crane flies, aquatic beetles, and weed seeds. 



SPURRED TOWHEE. 



(Pipilo maculatus montanus.) 



The spurred towhee is most common over the oak-covered foothills 

 of the Wasatch, and wherever this growth extends to the close prox- 

 imity of alfalfa fields it may be considered an enemy of the weevil. 

 As it is a resident species and terrestrial in habits it comes in touch 

 with hibernating adults. Only two of these birds were collected, both 

 in April, and each had fed on the insect. One had eaten but a single 

 adult, amounting to 1 per cent of its food, and the other had taken 



