BIRDS IK RELATION TO THE ALFALFA WEEVIL. \) 
ing dove can not be considered an effective enemy of the weevil, it 
renders service to man in the consumption of weed seeds, and as 
long as it does not become unduly abundant in grain fields its 
presence is desirable. 
The vegetable food of the birds examined was largely weed seeds. 
Among these were those of amaranth (Amaranthus blitoides, A. 
retroflexus and A. albus), filaree (Er odium cimdctrium) , cockle 
(Vaccaria vaccaria), pigweed (Chenopodium sp.), ragweed (Am- 
brosia artemisii folia) , thistle (Carduus sp.), smartweed {Polygonum 
sp.), and sunflower (Helianthiis sp.). 
RED-SHAFTED FLICKER. 
(Colaptes cafer collaris.) 
The red-shafted flicker is sparingly distributed through the Salt 
Lake Valley, though the constantly increasing supply of suitable 
nesting sites caused by the growth of trees in the irrigated portion 
bids fair to increase its abundance. 
Of the three birds examined, two had fed on the alfalfa weevil, a 
trace of an adult being present in each case. Ants, its favorite food, 
composed practically the entire contents of each of the stomachs. In 
one were no less than 390 adults and 190 pupse of the small dark 
brown ant, Myrmica scabrinodis. 
Although the flicker is the most terrestrial of woodpeckers it 
does little toward the reduction of the weevil, as it lives chiefly on 
ants. In this it doubtless is working for the best interests of man, 
as many large harvest ants of the West (Pogonomyrmex) do con- 
siderable damage to grain and forage, not only by cutting down the 
crop for a space of several feet about their domicile, but by building 
nests which menace the operation of the mower or reaper. 
ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. 
(Tyrannus verticalis.) 
The Arkansas kingbird probably is the most abundant and evenly 
distributed flycatcher in the Salt Lake Valley. Though it is more 
at home in arid districts, the writer met it in great abundance about 
ponds where flying insects furnished ample food. 
Of ten birds secured four had eaten weevils, but not more than 
three were found in any one stomach. The small number is probably 
due to the fact that flycatchers are necessarily limited in this work 
to the short period when the weevil is on the wing, as also are swal- 
lows. The small cicada (Platypedia putnami) was a favorite food 
of these birds. 
43778°— Bull. 107—14 2 
