47 
Another bird that also preys upon locusts ie the California Shrike 
[Lanius htdoricianus gambeli Ridg.), locally known as Butcher-bifdj 
from its habit ol impaling insects, small birds, lizards, etc., on almost 
any sharp-pointed, thorn-like object within its reach. Ar several dif- 
ferent places I saw one of these birds fly to the ground, seize a 
locust, and return to its former perch to feed niton its victim; but fre- 
quently it would impale the locust upon some sharp-pointed object and 
leave it there to die. The sharp barbs of a barbed wire fence were 
frequently used by these birds for impaling the locusts upon, and in 
driving along one of these fences it was no uncommon sight to see at 
short intervals one of the locusts thus impaled. Unlike the Arkansas 
Kingbird, which invariably captures the locusts while upon the wing, 
this Shrike appears to attack them only upon the ground. Its habit of 
impaling them upon sharp-pointed objects would allow of its destroying 
an almost unlimited number of locusts in a day. Unfortunately, this 
bird is not abundant in any portion of the locust-infested region. 
These two were the only birds that I saw capture and feed upon 
locusts, but Mr. Walter E. Bryant, the Ornithologist of the California 
Academy of Sciences, to whom I am indebted for the names of these 
birds, informs me that he has found locusts in the stomachs of the 
following California birds: Great Horned Owl {Bubo virginianus 
Gmelin); Burrowing Owl (Speotyto cunicvlaria hypogcea Bonap.); Spar- 
row Hawk (Falco sparverius Linn.); Boad-runner (Geococcyx californi- 
anus Lesson) ; and Western Lark Finch (Cho7idestes grammacus strigatus 
Swain son). 
While investigating the locust plague in Merced County for the De- 
partment in the year 1885, 1 saw three other birds feeding upon locusts; 
these were: Bullock's Oriole (Icterus bullockii Swainson); California 
Song-sparrow (Melospiza fasciata samnelis Baird), and another undeter- 
mined species somewhat larger than the latter, and having a conspicu- 
ous patch of red feathers on the crown of the head. 
The Burrowing Owl was quite frequently seen, occurring in and about 
the burrows of the California Ground Squirrel (Spermophilus grammuru* 
beecheyi Richardson). These, however, were most abundant in the dry. 
level plains, where but few locusts occurred. The other birds mentioned 
above were occasionally met with, but were not at all numerous in the 
locust-infested regions. 
Of the smaller animals, I have seen the Western Fence-lizard Seel- 
oporus occiflentalis ViiiiTd-Givai'd) catch and devour locusts. This lizard 
is commonly known by the name of Swift. This and allied species are 
quite commonly found all over the locust-infested regions and doubtless 
destroy a large number of the locusts. 
Among predaceous insects, the species which probably destroys the 
greater number of locusts, and the one most frequently met with, is a 
medium-sized, wholly black wasp known as Priononyx atrata St. Farg, 
This wasp digs its burrow in the earth, usually in loose sandy soil, and 
