FIELD INVESTIGATIONS IN 1906. 25 



destroyed by the 32 birds was 612, an average of 19 to the bird. The 

 largest number taken by one bird was 47. 



The bank swallow was almost as common as the cliff swallow, and 

 the habits of the two are quite similar. Twenty-two specimens were 

 taken and 9 of them found to have eaten boll weevils. The largest 

 number eaten by a single bird was 14, the total consumed by the 9 

 birds was 63, and the average per bird 7. 



The barn swallow was less common than the other species of swal- 

 lows, and their habits differ slightly from those of the others. They 

 were most often seen skimming swiftly oA^er the cotton only a short 

 distance above the tops of the plants. They flew back and forth 

 across the fields many times, and the evidences of a movement south- 

 ward were not apparent. Eleven specimens were taken, and of these 

 5 had eaten a total of 52 boll weevils, an average of over 10 per bird. 

 The largest number eaten by a single bird was 23. 



Several purple martins were seen, but only one secured. This one 

 contained fragments of a boll weevil. 



Two species of warblers taken here — the chat and the yellow 

 warbler— were each found to have eaten boll weevils. Five speci- 

 mens of each were taken, and 1 bird of each species had eaten 1 weevil 

 apiece. 



Beeville, Tex., September 17-19. — Weevils were quite scarce at 

 Beeville this season, and the damage to the cotton by them was 

 comparatively slight. At the time of the writer's visit there were 

 few squares on the plants, and consequently many plants harbored 

 no weevils. By selecting and examining 30 plants on which there 

 was a moderate number of squares 23 weevils were found. Cotton 

 worms were present in small isolated colonies. 



Birds were much less numerous than in August of the preceding 

 year. TAventy-two specimens were taken, including 11 orioles. Six 

 of the orioles had eaten boll weevils. The single orchard oriole taken 

 had eaten 1 weevil, the single Bullock oriole taken had eaten 2 wee- 

 vils, and of the 9 Baltimore orioles taken 4 had eaten a total of 5 

 weevils. 



Runge, Tex., September 20-25. — Cotton was still growing and put- 

 ting on squares at the time of my visit. Weevils were abundant, 

 almost every plant harboring some of the insects, except in fields 

 where the leaf worm had defoliated the plants. Twenty-five plants 

 were examined and 52 weevils found. Cotton worms were only mod- 

 erately common and locally distributed. 



Birds were fairly abundant, but the species known to eat the most 

 weevils were scarce. Thirty-nine specimens were taken, but only 3 

 birds had eaten boll weevils. Five nighthawks were secured, 2 of 

 which had eaten boll weevils — 1 taking 2, the other 6. Fourteen 



