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Show 160 upon Utah Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters he sl?all ares of agricultural land then under cultivation. [Vol. XIV, Many ob servalns m the field have convinced the writer that the gulls are equally bene.ftclal now, as compared with their activity at the time of the pioneers. During the summer of 1936, grasshoppers and Mormon crickets were destruc tively abundant in many parts of Utah. Mr. George Q. Bateman of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station, called the writer's attention to the noticeable effectiveness of the California gulls in the control of grasshoppers in alfalfa fields at Benson (in Cache Valley). The accompanying photograph shows a small section of the field with its portion of what was estimated to be 10,000 gulls which were following the haying equipment, capturing and eating practically all. of the grasshopper nymphs. The picture was taken on May 8, 1936. The alfalfa, which had been intended for seed, was being cut when only 8 to 10 inches high to prevent its complete destruction by grasshoppers. Mr. Batemen watched the birds feed until they could eat no more, after which they would fly to nearby borrow-pits and pasture sloughs, where hundreds would rest and drink for awhile, before returning to the alfalfa field to re sume feeding. Small rodents and cutworms also are commonly eaten in al falfa fields at the time of irrigation, while large numbers of cutworms and other insects are eaten while fields are being plowed or otherwise cultivated. Western Mourning Dove.-Z enaidura macroura marginella (Woodhouse). One stomach from a dove collected at Vernon, May 1, 1936, contained 1 hymenopterous specimen and 60 weed seeds. A second contained 150 weed Another specimen, collected near Iosepa, in seeds and 4 kernels of wheat. Skull Valley, contained 1 grasshopper and 32 sunflower seeds. One specimen was Road Runner.-GeococcyX' californianus (Lesson). taken near St. George on September 18, 1935, which contained 3 grasshoppers; 3 beetles; 2 cutworms; 1 pill-bug; and 1 spider. Burrowing Olwl.-Speotyto cuniculorio; hypogaea (Bonaparte). One specimen taken in a wheat stubble field west of Midvale, October 11, 1936, contained 1 grasshopper and 1 mouse. Pacific Night Hawk.-':'Chqrdeiles minor -hesperis Grinnell. The stomach of 1 specimen, taken in an apple orchard at Penrose, August 1, 1936, contained 5 beetles, 1 being a curculionid; 1 Hymenoptera; and numerous insect frag ments. Red Shafted Flicker.-Colaptes cafer collaris Vigors. Two stomachs examined, the first collected at Kaysville, September 30, 1935, contained 156 adult and 2 pupal ants. The second, taken at HYrum, August 12, 1936, contained 12 ants and 15 weed seeds. The stomach of .one Lewis Woodpecker.-Asyndesmu's lewisi Riley. juvenile specimen, taken in Oak Creek Canyon, October 10, 1936, contained 1 grasshopper; 8 Coleoptera; 3 large portions and numerous fragments of were acorns. Rocky Mountain Sapsucker.-Sphyrapicus thryoideus nataliae (Mal herbe). One specimen, collected near Dolomite, contained 1 false chinch bug; 37 Hymenoptera, 34 being ants. Arkansas Kingbird.-Tyrannus verticalis Say. Stomachs of 19 speci 13 mens contained' 43 Orthoptera, of which 41 were grasshoppers found in Me 6 them in being found 27 were 13. beetles among stomachs, stomachs; loidae in 4 stomachs, 1 Elateridae, and 1 Tenebrionidae; 1 Diptera : 362 Hymenoptera in 10 stomachs, including 352 ants in 7 stomachs; one plant fragment. One stomach, from a specimen take at Holden, August 8, 1936, contained 6 grasshoppers and 5 beetles. A specimen taken at Penrose, August 1 1936 contained 5 grasshoppers, 2 wasps and 1 fly; a second stomach held 3' gras;hoppers, 17 ants and 2 beetles; a third contained 53 ants and 1 wasp. |
