WEED-SEEDS CONSUMED BY THE DOVE 95 



Orange hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum) 4,820 seeds. 



Slender paspalum (Paspalum setaceum) 2,600 



Hoary vervain (Verbena stricta) 950 



Panicum 620 



Carolina cranesbill (Geranium carolinianum) 120 



Yellow wood-sorrel (Oxalis stricta) 50 



Miscellaneous weeds . . 40 



9,200 



The second specimen of the three contained 6,400 seeds of 

 the farmers' ancient and persistent enemy, fox-tail (Chactoclod) , 

 while the third turned out 7,500 seeds of the yellow wood- 

 sorrel. The grand total of weed-seeds for those three Doves 

 w r as 23,100! And this for only one day's supply. Assuming 

 that those three Doves had been killed as "game" by some 

 "sportsman (!)," previous to their meal, and those seeds had 

 produced 23,100 weeds, how much would it have cost in labor 

 at $1.50 per day to destroy them? 



Besides the 64 per cent of weed-seeds in the 237 stomachs, 

 there was found 32 per cent of grain, but of this three-fourths 

 was waste grain, gleaned in the fields after harvest. 



Whoever does aught for the protection of doves, does 

 well; and a word to the wise is sufficient. 



