153 



that have eaten cotton boll weevils in the early part of the season, and 

 here it is to be regretted that the number of stomachs at our disposal is 

 so small. If the collecting of bird's stomachs should be continued, par- 

 ticular attention should be paid to the birds frequenting the cotton 

 fields at any other season than autumn. There is given below a list of 

 the birds shot during February that had eaten Aiithonomus grandis^ 

 probably during the season when the weevils were in their winter 

 quarters. As already stated, those birds were mostly shot while 

 plowing was being carried on, and it may be inferred, therefore, that 

 the birds picked up the weevils from the ground where, even for the 

 most expert entomologist, it is next to impossible to find them. 



List of birds shot during February that had eaten boll weevils. 



One cowbird, shot February 24, 1904, contained in his stomach 1 boll weevil. 



Two jackdaws, shot on February 24, 1904, contained in their stomachs each 1 

 Anthonomus grandis. 



Two mocking birds, shot on February 24, 1904, each contained 1 Anthonomus 

 grandis. 



One Brewer's blackbird, shot February 25, 1904, contained 5 boll weevils and 

 nothing else. 



One Brewer's blackbird, shot February 24, 1904, contained 3 boll weevils and some 



One Brewer's blackbird, shot February 24, 1904, contained 1 boll weevil. 

 One killdeer plover, shot February 24, 1904, contained 1 boll weevil. 



All those birds shot in February came from Victoria, Tex. There 

 is one element of uncertainty in the matter which, unfortunately, can 

 not be eliminated — in all instances where remains of cotton boll weevils 

 were found in the stomachs of birds the remains were found in the 

 most fragmentary condition, and with the exception of a few instances 

 the determinations had to be made from the front thighs and tibiae. 

 In three or four instances, which have been referred to above as 

 doubtful determinations, the determination was made either from the 

 tibia alone or from minute fragments of the elytra. Now, as is known 

 to be the case with fragments of a similar nature possessing spines, 

 teeth, or claws, such fragments are liable to remain attached to the 

 stomachs of birds for weeks or months. Therefore, if the front 

 thighs of an Anthonomus grandis were found in a bird shot during 

 February, it is by no nieans certain that the bird had eaten the boll 

 weevil in the same month, but it is possible that the fragment has 

 remained in the stomach since the fall of the previous year. 



As a whole, the result of this investigation is not especially encourag- 

 ing. Sixteen species of birds, ^ all more or less insectivorous in their 

 feeding habits, were found to have eaten only a total of 58 specimens 

 of the boll weevil, as proven by the careful examination of nearly 400 

 stomachs. 



« The turtle dove, which seems to be the most common bird in the Texas cotton 

 fields during the fall of the year, is not an insectivorous bird. 



