I 
GOPY. 
Methods of Control. 
1917. 
introduction. 
In response to an appeal from the Board of Supervisors 
of Maricopa County, Arizona, June 6 , 7, 8 and 22, 1917, v/ere 
spent investigating alleged darriage to wheat by doves. June 6 
was spent driving in an auto over the country near Phoenix, 
but as no damage could be located the writer proceeded the 
evening of the same day 50 miles west to Arlington. Here 
doves of two species* Melopelia asiatica and Banaidura macroura 
we 2*0 abundant, and control experiments v/ere conducted on June 7 
and 8 with great success. June 22 the writer accompanied a 
crop-census taAer all in an auto through the count r;^^ about 
Cashion, but failed to obtain evidence of dama^^e, though a 
careful census of 8 1/2 sections showed 570 acres in wheat. 
Damage . 
The accompanying clipping from ’^The Arizona Hepublican*’ 
are made a part of this report, but as will be shown, are 
gre a t ly e xa gge ra ted. 
Careful inquiry disclosed only tv/o instances of serious 
daiaage in Maricopa County, one of these investigated by the 
writer, at Arlington, and the other, of le^s extent, near 
Phoenix, The writer has traveled by auto from the limit 
of irrigation about 20 miles east of Phoenix, to Arlington, 
50 miles west, but has nowhere, except at Arlington, seen 
any species of dove abnormally numerous. During the intensive 
census of 8 l/2 sections near Cashion the faimiers v/ere questioned 
about bird damage but all complaints received were against 
red-winged blackbirds. 
But at Arlington the situation was different. Practically 
all the wheat in the community was comprised in the 260 acres 
upon the pluoe of Mr. J. A. Shepard, and here doves ( Melopelia 
asiatica and '^enaidura macroura ) were gathered in thousands to 
