The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1911-06-02

horse flies. Adults and larvae :,
these flies have been found in N.
stomachs Of the dowitcher the No.
toral sandpiper. the hudsonian godvn
and the killdeer. Two species a,
shorebirds. the killdeer and uplana
plover, still further befriend cattle h,
devouring the North American fever
tick. Among other fly larvae con.
sumed are those Of the crane aIa
(leatherjackets).
Another group of insects Of which
the shorebirds are very fond Is graz.
hoppers. Severe local infestations Of
grasshoppers, frequently involving III.
destruction Of many acres Of corn, co.,
ton and other crops, are by no means
exceptional. Aughey found % species
Of shorebirds feeding on Rocky Noun
tain locusts In Nebraska, some Of
them consuming large numbers. Even
under ordinary conditions grasshop
pers are a staple food Of many mem.
bers of the shorebird family.
Shorebirds are fond of other insect
pests of forage and grain crops, In.
GLIDING the army worm. which Is
known to be eaten by the killdeer and
spotted sandpiper; also cutworms.
among whose enemies are the avocet,
woodcock, pectoral and Baird sand.
pipers. upland plover and killdeer.
Two caterpillar enemies of cotton the
cotton worm and the cotton cutworm,
are eaten by the upland plover and
killdeer. The latter bird feeds also
on caterpillars Of the genus Phlege
thontius, which includes the tobacco
and tomato worms.
The principal farm crops have many
destructive beetle enemies also. and
some of these are eagerly eaten BY
shorebirds. The boil weevil and clover
leaf weevil are eaten by the upland
plover and killdeer. the rice weevil b!
the killdeer, the cowpea weevil D!
the upland plover. and the clover
root curculio by several species Oh
shorebirds.
Bill bugs, which often do considers
BILE damage to corn. seem to be favor
tie food Of some Of the shoreolroA
They are eaten by the Wilson pnaik
rope, avocet, black-necked stilt pee
toral sandpiper. killdeer and uplanu
plover. They are an important ele
ment Of the latter birds diet, ana Nv
fewer than eight species OF them nav
been found In its. food.
Wireworms and their adult formA
click beetles. are devoured Oy NV
northern phalarope. woodoock' 'a'.
snipe. pectoral sandipper. hlldeer anu
upland plover. The last three le,s
also ON the southern corn leaf-oee.ls'
and the last two upon the grape'.n.
colapsis. Other shorebirds that co.
leaf-beetles are the Wilson phaiafOp'
and dowitcher.
Crayfshes. which are pest IN NV s
and corn fields in the south ana sI w.
inture levees, are favorite food VI s
black-necked silt, and several QUIZ, ,.
shorebirds feed upon them. no'sD "d
the tacksnipe, robin snipe. spo
sandpiper, upland plover ana Al AS;rd.
Thus It Is evident that snofeO -.
-. ,,n,o-+.nt aid by devouring the
enemies Of farm crops ana III ...L
WAYS. and their services are apy N.
ated hy those who have observed o. ~
birds in the feld. Thus. w. "A. o int
of Corpus Christi, Tex. reports ~. ,oI
upland plovers are industrious " ths
lowing the pillow and In eatlns ,orn
rrmh. that destroy garden stun cO'
and cotton crops. H. W. l.nA .nottsd
Fail River. Mass. says OF inc ,ns
..ndniner: "Thres pairs nesteo = md
vo,nr orchard bsAind my house -. -
.Stscsnt to my garden. did mol ~. !.
them once 60 to the shore ~ INT
lahore about 800 feet away. ,.,th
did see them many times make ,a ,r
tnl .ssrch 81 my garden for cutw" s,.1
spotted squash bugs. and green ,srs
Cutvorms and cabbage worm' ,oaps
their especial prey. After the ; - ~
c e. AZ they stili kept at WORK . - %
rarden. and showed no incnn. ..t Il
= 3 the shore until about Aus . o,e
Tt.v ana : flock o. quails Jus.