The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1904-07-02
Bobwhite's Good Service.
From the Baltimore sun.

Sportsmen take much interest in the bird
known in Maryland and Virginia the par
fridge, account of his game qualities and
delicious flavor, but few are aware of his
economic value as destroyer of noxious seeds
aud insects. A study of the bird, undertaken
by the Department of Agriculture, shows, ae-
cording to the report of DR.. ). ID. Judd, in
the department year book for 1908, that
1.-THE bObwhite is probably the most useful
abundant species on the farm. II is one of
the most nearly omuivorous birds, consuming
large quantities of weed seeds and destroying
many of the worst insect pests with which the
farmer has to centend. 1t does not injure
grain, fruit or any other crop The bulk of
its vegetable diet consists of the seeds of
weeds An idea of its value as a weed de-
stroyer may be gathered from the number of
seeds taken at a meal. Il IS not uncommon
to find that the bobwhite has at one meal con-
sumed as many as 800 smartweed seeds, so
butionweed seeds. 500 sheep. sorrel seeds and
700 three-sided mercury seeds. Crops and
stomachs are often found crammed with moth
ing but ragweed seeds. A partridge taken at
Marshall Hall, Md, had eaten 900 ragweed
akenes; another bad eaten 1000 seeds Of the
troublesome crab grass. la Mecklenburg
county, Virginia, the oruithologist shot a bird
whose stomach contained 1000 seeds, mostly
of tick trefoil and various kinds of bush clover.
Pigeon grass is favorite food, and not less
than 5000 seeds of this troublesome plant
have been found IN the stomach of a single
bird. bobvhite taken at kinsale, Va,
Christmas Day, 1901, had eaten for the day
10000 seeds of that pest Of the garden, the
l,igweed A computation Of the total amount
Of weed seed the bobwhite is likely to destroy
ia given time produces surprising results.
Assuming that there are l69, 500 bobwhites in
the State Of Virginia, we find that their aggre-
gate consumption of weed seed between Sep
iember / and April 80 is some 57S tons. In
relieving farms of this amount of pestiferouS
seeds yearly the bird evidently earns the
farmers gratitude and protection.
But the bobwhite eats insects as well as
seeds, bis insect diet being Is per cent. of his
food supply for the whole year. From May
TO August the percentage of insects in his diet
rises to 81 per cent, as many as ll6 species
being taken. Conspicuous among the pests
which the bobwhite destroys are the potato
beetle, the II spotted cucumber beetle, the
bean leaf beetle, the squash ladybird, wire
worms aud their beetles, May beetles and
various weevils, including those that injure
cotton, corn and clover. Weevils are much
sought tor and A. cotton boil weevils have
been eaten in one morning by single bird.
Other insects that receive attention are the
worms. corn louise, ants, grasshoppers, locusts
and chinchbugs. As the potato beetle does
damage to the potato crop to the extent of
$40, coo. .OO) 4 year and the other bugs named
destroy crops 10 an aggregate value of Sl45,.
600. 600 a year. it is worth the farmer S while
to protect his ally. Particularly in the breed
ing season does the bobwhite's consumption
Of insects become enormous, their growing
broods being exceedingly greedy. The young
Of all land birds feed chiefly upon insects.
The feeundity of the partridge is great, and
the species would be abundant but for shooting
ont OF season and exposure TO natural enemies.
Il is suggested that efforts should be made to
protect the birds by uniform laws defining the
close season more scientifically and by plant
ing buckwheat aud other grains as a resource
during severe winters. Owners of game pre-
serves can insure greater number of birds
per acre, it is stated, by adopting this means
Of securing them.
Much space Is given by the year book to
proving that there is no foundation for the
idea entertained by sportsmen that the bob
white robs the farmers wheatfelds. Exami-
nation of the stomachs of 800 birds shows that
grain formed but one fourth oftheir food, corn
being 10. IA per cent and wheat 5. 04 per cent
The bird does eat grains of wheat that have
fallen from the ear to the ground, but he does
not trouble standing grain. Nor does he for
age among the sheaves Of the harvest field.
Sprouting grain does not attract him. Com
pared with many other common birds, the
bobwhite's reputation as a devourer of crops
is almost immaculate. He feeds in stubble,
it Is true, but he goes there mostly for the seed
of the ragweed. II he CLEANS after the harvest,
this, the year book contends, is beneficial to
the farm. as the termination of volunteer
grain is not desirable" The horticulturist
does not number him among his enemies, the
catbird and cedarbird being the great offend
ers. In California relative of the bobwhite
sometimes plumbers the vineyards, but in the
East grapes, strawberries and other usefut
fruit are not subject to injury. It's in Decem-
Der that he eats most fruit, and sumac berries
then receive his attention. Upon the whole
an excellent character is given by the Depart
ment of Agriculture to the Virginia partridge
{ Colinus rirginianus), and the public is urged
to make greater efforts for his protection and
multiplication.