18 RELATION OF BIRDS TO COTTON BOLL WEEVIL. 



blackbirds, their destruction of boll weevils is mainly in spring, when 

 the fields are being broken; but naturally, owing to their large size, 

 their taste is usually for larger insects. Thirty-nine specimens col- 

 lected in spring have been examined, of which only 3 had eaten boll 

 weevils, each bird taking 1 weevil. 



Red-winged blackbird. — Redwings occur in Texas at all seasons, 

 but are much more abundant in winter than in summer. They 

 gather in immense flocks as early in the fall as October, and forage 

 in the fields all winter, or until the nesting season approaches in 

 April, when the flocks disperse and the birds pair off. Their food 

 consists very largely of weed seed, *but a few insects are consumed, 

 including some boll weevils. About 50 stomachs taken in spring and 

 an equal number taken in autumn have been examined, and in each 

 case 2 stomachs contained 1 weevil each. In view of the great abun- 

 dance of these birds, the value of their services, particularly in spring, 

 is not inconsiderable. 



Cowbird.—CowbiT&s are found in Texas in flocks during the 

 greater part of the year, but are most abundant in winter. The} 7 

 associate with the redwings and Brewer blackbirds during certain 

 seasons, and in spring often visit plowed fields to obtain weed seed. 

 Here occasionally they pick up boll weevils. Four stomachs taken 

 in February and March contained each 1 boll weevil, and 3 taken 

 in July and August likewise contained each 1 weevil. Although 

 only about 1.5 per cent of the birds collected in spring contained 

 boll weevils, still their great abundance in the fields makes them a 

 valuable ally of the farmer. 



MEADOW LARKS. 



Meadow larks are generally distributed in Texas in winter, but in 

 summer they retire to the prairies to breed. Although feeding to 

 some extent in plowed fields, they do not follow the plow as the 

 blackbirds do. but seek their food among the old stalks and rubbish. 

 Here they find and destroy many boll weevils, especially in winter at 

 the time the ground is first broken. Eighty-seven specimens taken 

 in February and March have been examined, and of this number 11 

 had eaten a total of 15 boll weevils. The percentage of larks taking 

 weevils was much greater for the period from February 26 to March 

 9 than for any later jDeriod. This is explained by the fact that most 

 of the larks collected at that time were feeding in unplowed fields, 

 where the weevils had not been driven out. Of the 29 larks taken 

 during that period, 10. or about 31 per cent, had eaten weevils. 



Two hundred and forty-nine specimens taken in the fall have been 

 examined, and of these 10. or about 1G per cent, had captured boll 

 weevils, the total number of weevils eaten being 50. 



