Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-04-28

less. The Eskimo curlew within
the last decade has probably been ex-
terminated and the other curlews
greatly reduced. In fact, all the larg-
er species of shorebirds have suf-
fered severely.
So adverse to shorebirds are pres
ent conditions that the wonder is
that any escape. In both fall and
spring they are shot along the whole
route of their migration north and
south. Their habit of decoying read
lily and persistently, coming back in
focks to the decoys again and again,
in spite Of murderous volleys, great
ly lessons their chances Of escape.
The breeding grounds OF some Of
the species in the United States and
| Canada have become greatly restrict
ed by the extension of agriculture,
and their winter ranges in South
America have probably been re-
i-stricted in the same way.
1t is not surprising, therefore, that
birds of this family, with their limit
ed powers of reproduction, melt
away under the relentless warfare
waged upon them. Until recent years
shorebirds have had almost no pro-
lection. Thus, the species most in
need Of stringent protection have
really had the least. No useful birds
which lay only three or four eggs
should be retained on the list of
game birds. The shorebirds should
/ be relieved from persecution, and If
we desire to save from extermina-
/ ton a majority of the species, action
must be prompt.
The protection Of shorebirds need
not be based solely on esthetic or
sentimental grounds, for few groups
of birds more thoroughly deserve
protection from an economic stand
point Shorebirds perform an i'm
portant service by their inroads upon
mosquitoes, some of which play so
conspicuous a part in the dissemina-
ton of diseases. Thus, nine species
are known to feed upon mosquitoes,
and hundreds of the larvae or wig
glers'' were found in several stom-
achs Fifty-three per cent OF the food
of % northern phalaropes from one
locality consisted of mosquito lar
vac The insects eaten include the
salt-marsh mosquito, for the sup
Jersey has gone to great expense.
Cattle and other live stock also are
seriously molested by mosquitoes as
we'll as by another set of pests, the
horse-flys. Adults and larvae of these
flies have been found in the stomachs
of the dowitcher, the pectoral sand
piper. the hudsonian godwit, and the
killdeer. Two species of shorebirds,
the killdeer and upland plover, still
further befriend cattle by devouring
the North American fever tick.
Crane-f1y larvae are frequently Sc
riously destructive locally in grass |
lands and wheat fields. Among their |
numerous bird enemies, shorebirds /
rank high.
Another group of insects of which |
the shorebirds are very fond is grass
hoppers Severe local infestations of |
grasshoppers, frequently involving |
the destruction of many acres of /
corn. cotton and other crops, are by
no means exceptional. Aughey found |
% species of shorebirds feeding on
Rocky Mountain locusts in Nebraska,
some of them consuming large num-
bers
Even under ordinary conditions
grasshoppers are a staple food of
many members of the shorebird fam
lily.
Shorebirds are fond of other in
sects of forage and grain crops, in
GLIDING the army worm, which is
known to be eaten by the killdeer
and spotted sandpiper; also cut
worms, among whose enemies are
the avocet, woodcock, pectoral and
Baird sandpipers, upland plover and 1
killdeer. Two caterpillar enemies of
cotton. the cotton worm and the cot
ton cutworm, are eaten by the up
land plover and killdeer. The latter
bird feeds also on caterpillars of the
genus Phlegethontius, 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 sh9rebirds. The boil Wee
vii and cIover-leaf weevil are eaten
by the upland plover and killdeer.
the rice weevil by the kiIldeer, the
cowpea weevil by the upland plover, :
and the clover-root curcuIio by the ,
northern phalarOpe. pectoral sand
piper, upland plover and killdeer.
The last two eat also other weevils
which attack cotton, grapes and sug-
lr beets Bill-bugs, which often do :
damage to corn, seem :
o be favorite food for some of the
;horebirds. They are eaten by the
Wilson phalarope, avocet, black :
lecked silt, pectoral sandpiper, kill ,
leer and upland plover. They are !.
IN important element OF the latter ;
birds diet. and no fewer than eight
species of them have been found in
rs food T