﻿FIELD AND FOREST. 65 



ern counties — Crawford, Clay, Harrison, Calhoun, Humboldt, Chero- 

 kee, Sioux, Greene, Montgomery, Audubon, Guthrie, Pottawatomie, 

 Pocahontas and Sac. Missouri reports them only in her northwestern 

 corner county, Atchison. Kansas, had a destructive visitation, but 

 not so general as in previous years, reporting them in only nine coun- 

 ties — Mitchell, Pawnee, Washington, Ellis, Reno, Norton, Graham, 

 Rice and Republic. Nebraska suffered more severely, in eighteen 

 counties — Furnas, Knox, Osage, Cuming, Dodge, Webster, Franklin, 

 Saunders, Seward, Thayer, Boone, Lancaster, Platte, Hall, Wayne, 

 Merrick, Antelope and Richardson. In all, sixty-one counties report 

 officially the presence of these pests. Their ravages were in many 

 cases very severe ; in others they did but little damage. In some coun- 

 ties, all the late grain, grass, fruit and vegetable crops were swept ; in 

 others the destruction was limited to a few growing crops. 



One correspondent examined the soil of an oat-stubble field, upon 

 which they had settled for oviposition. He estimates that 15 deposits 

 of eggs, on an average, were made on each square inch of ground, and 

 that each deposit averaged 30 eggs. This gives an aggregate of 

 2,826,688,000 per acre. This doubtless is largely in excess of the av- 

 erage, but it illustrates something of the stupendous multiplication of 

 insect life. 



The English sparrows lately imported, did good service in some 

 counties in destroying the pests, and a wail of regret over the whole- 

 sale slaughter of insectivorous birds now comes from all parts of this 

 afflicted region. It is a question affecting our civilization, how we 

 may be able to abate this terrible nuisance ; no adequate remedy has 

 yet been suggested. — E. C. Merrick. 



■ Crows Seeking Water. — I send you an Ornithological note, 

 which may be of interest to the readers of Field and Forest. 



During the protracted drought of June and July in some of the east- 

 ern counties of Virginia, it was observed that nearly all the water-mel- 

 ons were pecked in deep holes by the crows in their search for water. 

 How did they select the water- melon from pumpkins, squashes &c, as 

 a water supply? 



It was said by Pliny, I think, that ravens have been known to drop 

 pebbles into urns or crevices containing water beyond their reach, so 

 as to raise it by displacement to an accessible level. — N. B. Webster. 



