Amador ledger., 1910-01-21
-.s- s--r----,.s. - -. =.
The Western Meadow
Lark.


to the great plains, whe re it gives way
to a closely related sub species, which
extends thence westward to the Pacific.
The latter is known as the Western
meadow-ark
This bird is almost wholly beneficial
and in most localities its value is ap.
preciated and laws have been made for
its protection.
Professor F. E. L. Beal, Of the
bureau of biological survey, u. S. de-
partment of agriculture, has, in bull
letin issued by that department, given
very complete data regarding the food
habits and economic value OF the mea-
dow lark. In 23S stomachs examined,
animal food practically all insects)
constitute 73 per cent Of the contents.
The insects are mainly ground species,
such as beetles, bugs, grasshoppers and
caterpillars, with few flies, wasps and
spiders,
or the various insects eaten, crickets
and grasshoppers are the most impor-
tant, constituting 20 per cent OF the
years food, and SO per cent of the food
in August. More than two-thirds of the
23S stomachs collected contained the
remains of grasshoppers and one was
filed with fragments of 81 of these
insects This seems to show that
grasshoppers are preferred, and are eaten
whenever they can be procured.
About IA per cent of the food consists
of harmful ground beetles, and cater
pillars constitute a very constant source
of supply, May is the month when
the dreaded cut-worm begins its deadly
career" says professor Beal: 'and
then the meadow-lark does some of its
best work. Over 2S per cent of the
whole food consists Of caterpiIlars when
these destructive worms are at work.
Most of these caterpilars are ground
feeders, and are overlooked by birds
which habitually frequent trees; but the
meadoW-lark finds them and devours
them by thousands. The vegetable food
consists chiefly of the seeds of weeds.
No Sprouting grain was found in any
stomach examined by Mr. Beal, and he
adds that more than half the birds food
consists of harmful insects, most of the
vegetable noXious weeds, and that the
bird is entitled to all possible pro-
lection.
The record of the food of the mea-
dowark is unusually full and complete
ahd results prove beyond all reasonable
doubt that this bird is of extraordinary
economic value. considering the data
with reference to the interest of the
farm and garden, writes professor
Forbes, 1--WE must admit the probable
eminent usefulness of this bird Its
great destruction of grasshoppers and of
cut-wormS and caterpillars and the alb
sence of all depredations worthy of con-
sideraton are strong indication of valu-
able service rendered, with unusually
few drawbacks. II supervises our grass
lands mnch more closely than the blue
bird or robin, and should be carefully
protected at all times.
TWenty-nine meadowlarks studied by
professor King of Wisconsin had eaten
tiger-beetles. May beetles, ground
beetles, nineteen grasshoppers and
many caterpilarS.
Examinations of thirty specimens by
Dr. Merriam showed that these birds
had eaten 25 caterpillars, 81 grass
hoppers, and more than 80 beetles.
Eight Nebraska-larks had eaten 2l
locuStS as well as locusts' eggs and
other insects.
The farmer cannot afford, " writes
DR.. S. D. Judd, long connected with the
u. S. department. of agriculture, "to
dispense with the service of the mea-
dow-lark, for it busies . itself all
summer eating grasshoppers and
noXious insects, and when autumn
comes, varies its diet with rag weed,
pigeongrasS and other weeds.
There is no doubt but the western
meadow-lerk is an important check on
the depredatious of the small green
caterpillarS which in some seasons in
California do serious damage to vine
yards, gardens and alfalfa fields and
We're these birds fully and properly pro-
tected until they could have opportunity
TO increase in sufficient numbers there
is little doubt but these exceedingly
destructive worms would no longer give
the farmers trouble
In one vineyard of 900 acres in San
BeTnardino county, more than half the