The Chanute times. [volume] (Chanute, Kan.) 1897-1913, 1909-07-23
Bob. White, the Farmers
Friend.

lU UdS udheu eCltuCC a lohe p'hiN w
find out his greatest value-i6 is To
. the facts and figures of the Biological
Survey that we are indebted for the
Knowledge that, while Beb-Whi!e is
very seldom guity Of trespass, he Is
of constant value as a destroyer OF
weeds and injurious insects. From a
careful examination of many hun
dreds of stomachs, it has been found
that from early autumn until spring
his food consists principally of vege-
table matter, a portion Of it being
found by cleaning the fallen grain
I'm fields where the harvest has been
gathered; but side from this the
main food of the quail during the
autumn and winter consists, Of seeds
of noxious and troublesome weeds,
these seeds, indeed, making up an
average of one-half Of his di t for the
whole year.
Weeds. different weeds
have been found TO contribute largely
TO the birds menu, and his marvellous
appetite is his most valuable asset.
Crops and stomachs have been found
which were crowded with rag-weed
seeds to the number of 1000, while
another had eaten as many seeds OF
crab grass. A bird shot in October
of 1902 at Pine Brook, 10 New Jersey,
had eaten 5000 seeds of green fox-tail
grass, and one killed on Christmas day
of 1901 at KiDsale, Va, had taken
about 10000 pig-weed seeds.
In relation to Bob Whites valuable
services as weed destroyer is only
two states, the Government report
says: at is reasonable to suppose
that In the states of Virginia and
North Carolina rom September l to
April 80 there are four Bot Whites to
each SQUARE mile Of land, or 554, 800 In
the two states. The crop of each bird
holds half an ounce Of seed and is
filed twice day. Since at each OF
the Two daily meals, weed seeds cor
stitute at least half the contents Of
the crop, or one-fourth of an ounce,
half-ounce daily is consumed by each
bird, On this basis, the total con-
sumption Of weed SEEDS by Bob
Whites from September l to April 80
in Virginia and North Carolina
amounts to 1,341 TONS"
The Chlnch Bug-After winter 10
which a vegetarian diet has largely
predominated, Bob-White has no de-
sire for the sprouting graio, but 10 the
early spring he is out on the war path
hunting for animal food. Although in
most climates he can fiud more OF less
insect food during every month 10 the
year, his bright eyes are always on
the lookout for the earliest corners
among the insect pests, and during the
spring, summer and autumn, his ser
vices Ia this direction are invaluable
The chinch bug leads the list OF ex
pensive Insects with tribute levied
estimated at 500, 900 per year
This destructive little pestlnvades Jh'
wheat fields In armies, but b-Whit'
leads his covey to the fray, aud II NJ
had warriors enough he cculd eradi
cate the foe, for the bugs winter II
Just such situations as are frequentet
by the qua !, and the birds feast upoi
them whenever they are available.
In a letter to the Department OF Ag
riculture, Mr.. NJ. A. Page, OF GARRETT
Kan, says OF the quail: "On opening
the crop we found about two table
spoonfuls Of chlnch bugs.
The grasshoppsr stands next IN tn
amount OF damage done, and 10000,
600 Der year is a conservative estimat
OF mis- tax upon this country, for b
sometimes devastates whole states
But here, too, Bob-White is on dut
With the meadow larks all OF then
feeding voraciously upo the invader
The potato bug is adothsr enen
which has cost the American farme
a vast amount OF trouble and expense
In spite Of large expenditures for poi
sous, this beetle still costs US aoou
$4,000, 900 rer year. Very few bird
will touch the disgusting creatures
but the rose breasted grossbeak an
faithful Bob White are always read
fer then. The potato bug is not a
occasional article OF food, but whe
available Is made a constant article
diet; one crop Of a quail has be
end 20 contain 100 OF them; neithe