8 BULLETIN 107, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 
VALLEY QUAIL. 
{Loplwrtyx calif ornica vallicola.) 
The valley quail, common in the irrigated portion of Salt Lake 
Valley, is frequently seen about alfalfa fields. Though a little shy 
in such environment, it appears to be perfectly at home and succeeds 
in raising broods wherever it finds sufficient cover. An open season 
is maintained for taking this bird during the month of October in 
the counties of San Pete, Uinta, Salt Lake, Davis, Weber, Utah, 
Sevier, and Carbon, while in some of the less densely populated 
sections a longer season is provided. 
The valley quail has a good record as a weevil destroyer, based on 
a limited amount of material, but examination of it gives a fair idea 
of what can be expected of this bird. One was obtained in May 
and four in June. In the stomach of each the weevil was present 
in very large numbers, and in only one did the insects number less 
than 100 individuals in various stages of development. The five birds 
had eaten, respectively, 165 larvae and 7 adults, 126 larvae and 1 adult, 
317 larvae and 2 adults, 128 larvae and 1 adult, and 75 larvae and 2 
adults, a total of 811 larvae and 13 adults. In bulk this averaged 
32.4 per cent of the stomach contents and at the same time formed 
95.3 per cent of the animal portion of the bird's diet. In three cases 
the contents of the crop, which was full, were also included. Other 
animal food taken was divided in small lots under several heads. 
The vegetable element, which formed 66 per cent of the stomach 
contents, was composed largely of weed seeds. Among these were 
found filaree (Er odium cicutaHum) , smartweed (Polygonum sp.), 
shepherd's purse (Capsella oursa-pastoris) , Russian thistle (Sal sola 
tragus), a vetch (Astragalus sp.), and dandelion (Taxaracum tax- 
aracum). One bird had picked up about 400 seeds of alfalfa and 
another a quantity of wheat, estimated to be 55 per cent of the food. 
Thus the valley quail may become troublesome by feeding on grain 
or seeds of other cultivated crops. At present, however, it is not 
sufficiently abundant in Utah to be a source of anxiety, and the short 
open season now allowed is more than ample to keep it in check. 
This bird is one of the most valuable about the farm, and in Utah 
it appears to eat even more than its customary amount of animal 
food. Any change in legislation, therefore, should be in the direc- 
tion of increased protection, 
WESTERN MOURNING DOVE. 
{Zenaidura macroura marginella.) 
The reason for including the western mourning dove, an almost 
exclusively granivorous bird, among the weevil's enemies is based on 
the fragments of adults found in two stomachs. While this mourn- 
