46 THE UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA 



the orioles, the robin, brown thrasher, catbird, mocking bird, 

 white-rumped shrike, barn swaillow, purple martin, kingbird, night 

 hawk, yellow billed cuckoo, and others. 



The other terrestial migrants have voracious appetites for in- 

 sects. Unfortunately Oklahoma insects are largely exempt by 

 them on account of a lack of trees for perching and nesting pur- 

 poses. The economics avantages to be derived by inducing these 

 birds to select nesting places and rear their young in Oklahoma 

 is enormous from the standpoint of insect control. This is a 

 very important problem and the best method for its solution lies 

 in the conservation of more water. This is one of the first steps 

 in the developments of trees for shade and nesting purposes. 

 These birds in their spring quests for summer homes fly over 

 Oklahoma by the thousands. A matter of intelligent cooperation 

 on our part would cause more of them to select their summer 

 homes here and feed on our bugs. 



Those species of birds which remain throughout the year, 

 known as residents, ire not particularly numerous in this state. 



Our chief game bird is insectivorous during the summer time. 

 During other seasons of the year, however, the quail depends 

 mostly upon waste grains such as wheat, the sorghums, and In- 

 dian corn. It also feeds on weed seeds of various kinds. Al- 

 though it can develop without access to stored, bodies of water, it 

 prefers an environment in proximity to water. 



Perhaps our best resident from the standpoint of insect con- 

 trol is the meadow lark. It does not frequent bodies of water 

 at all and does not feed much on grains. It has the habit of feed- 

 ing on hibernating insects during the winter time and en developing 

 form.s during the remainder of. the year. 



The topography of Oklahoma in general is quite ideal for 

 conserving water. There is much land at present which supports 

 scarcely enough vegetation for bug feed that would support a 

 nice body of water in which fishes could thrive and develop in 

 abundance. Practically the only impediment of fish culture here 

 is a sort of bacterial growth which causes the water to appear 

 murky or muddy. This can be easily eliminated by an application 

 of about twenty-five pounds of copper sulphate to the acre of 

 water, without dangerously interfering with any animal life acco- 

 ciated with the water. 



• Fishes do not require a constant or very large amount of 

 feed. The acquatic insects such as May flies, dragon flies, mos- 

 quitos, and Dobson flies together augmented by such land inhabit- 



