THE RELATION OF BIRDS TO THE 

 COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



INTRODUCTION. 



In view of the rapid spread of the cotton boll weevil in the 

 Southern States and the enormous damage to the cotton crop through 

 its ravages, a study of the relations of our native birds to the. pest 

 is of increasing importance. Investigation of the problem during 

 several seasons has shown that while birds can not be depended upon 

 to stay its progress, much less to exterminate it, yet the service they 

 render in controlling it is of great importance. It has been discovered 

 that several species of birds eat great numbers of the pest and among 

 the weevil-eating kinds are a few 7 whose numbers it is believed can 

 be greatly augmented through careful protection and by providing 

 them with safe nesting places. 



PROGRESS OF THE INVESTIGATION. 



The relation of birds to the boll weevil has been studied by the 

 Biological Survey during portions of four seasons, and by the Bureau 

 of Entomology during portions of two seasons. Seventeen species 

 of birds were examined during the seasons of 1903 and 1904 by the 

 Bureau of Entomology, with the result that 11 species were' found to 

 feed on the weevil. In November and December, 1904, Vernon 

 Bailey, of the Biological Survey, took up the study of the problem, 

 and, as a result of the examination of 354 stomachs collected by him, 

 9 additional species of birds were added to the list of boll weevil 

 destroyers. 5 The work was carried on in the summer and fall of 1905 

 by the present writer, 62 species of birds being collected and examined 

 and 8 additional species found to feed on the weevil. The investiga- 

 tion was continued, also by the writer, in August and September, 

 1906, and from February 11 to May 3, 1907. Fifteen species were 

 added to the list of weevil-eating birds by the investigations in the 

 past two seasons, details of which will be given later. 



« Bui. 51, Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1905, pp. 150-153. 

 5 Bui. 2,2, Bureau of Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 1005. 

 "Bui. 25, Bureau of Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, 190G. 



