Fall diet of blue grouse in Oregon

The early fall diet of Oregon blue grouse ( Dendragapus obscurus pallidus ) from Wallowa County, Oregon, was determined from 145 crops obtained during 1981 and 1982. Of more than 50 plant and animal foods in the diet, short-horned grasshoppers ( Acrididae ), prickly lettuce ( Lactuca serriola ), yellow salsify ( Tragopogon dubius ), wild buck-wheat ( Eriogonum spp.), and snowberry ( Symphoricarpos albus ) occurred in 30% or more of the crops and collectively amounted to 68% of the diet by weight. Seven of the 12 most common foods were consumed differentially by the four sex and age classes of birds. Results indicated that blue grouse foraged in forest and grassland habitats.     

Infection of young Douglas-firs and spruces by dwarf mistletoes in the Southwest

Mistletoe infection of Douglas-fir and spruce seedlings increased as the mean dwarf mistletoe rating of the overstory, seedling density, and total age of seedlings increased. Percent of spruce seedlings infected increased more rapidly than for Douglas-fir as overstory dwarf mistletoe ratings increased. However, the intensity of infection as measured by the mean dwarf mistletoe rating of seedlings, increased at about the same rate for spruce and Douglas-fir. Percent infection of seedlings less than 20 years total age was higher for spruce than for Douglas-fir. Douglas-fir and spruce seedling mortality was from two to three times greater in heavily infested stands than in healthy stands.     

Relict occurrence of three "American" Scolytidae (Coleoptera) in Asia

The first non-American representatives of the bark beetle genus Pseudopityophthorus , of the subtribe Corthylina (Corthylini), and of the Ips concinnus species group are named. All are apparently relicts of an early faunal exchange with North America. The new taxa include: Gnatharus , new genus, and its type-species Gnatharus tibetensis , new species (Tibet); Xenophthorus , new subgenus, and its type-species Pseudopityophthorus (Xenophthorus) peregrinus , new species (Tibet), and Ips orientalis , new species (Tibet, China). The intercontinental exchange of other taxa in Scolytidae are also mentioned.     

Cicuta bulbifera L. (Umbelliferae) in Alaska

Cited are distribution records for Alaska of Cicuta bulbifera L. It was discovered growing in the Nowitna National Wildlife Refuge in north central Alaska in 1984 and again in 1987. An earlier record is also known from near Fairbanks.     

Black-tailed prairie dog populations one year after treatment with rodenticides

Three rodenticide treatments, zinc phosphide with prebait, strychnine with prebait, and strychnine without prebait, were applied to black-tailed prairie dog Cynomys ludovicianus colonies in west central South Dakota. Results were compared immediately posttreatment and for one year after application. Zinc phosphide was the most effective for reducing prairie dog numbers immediately. When burrow activity levels of prairie dogs were initially reduced by 45% with strychnine only, they returned to untreated levels within ten months. When initial reductions were 95% with zinc phosphide, however, the number of active burrows was still reduced 77% in September the following year. Strychnine with prebait treatment showed initial reductions of 83% in burrow activity. Bait consumption by prairie dogs was highest for zinc phosphide.     

A case of leucism in the western bluebird ( Sialia mexicana )

Leucism in the western bluebird ( Sialia mexicana ) is reported from La Plata County, Colorado.     

New synonymy and new species of American bark beetles (Coleoptera: Scolytidae)

New replacement names for junior homonyms are presented as follows; Acanthotomicus tuberculifer for A. (Mimips) tuberculatus Schedl 1967, Chactoptelius versicolor for C. (Acrantus) tricolor Schedl 1958, Hylesinopsis angolanus for H. (Aridiamerus) angolensis Schedl 1982, Hylurgops tuberculifer for H. tuberculatus Schedl 1947, Pseudothysanoes spinatifer for P. spinatus Wood 1956, Scolytodes aterrimus for S. ater (Hylocurosoma atrum Eggers) 1941, Scolytodes boliviensis for S. (Prionosceles) bolivianus Eggers 1928, Scolytodes brasiliensis for S. (Hexacolus) brasiliensis Schedl 1935, Scolytodes discriminatus for S. discedens Eggers 1943, Scolytodes elongatissimus for S. elongatus (Hylocurosoma elongatum Eggers) 1943, Scolytodes gennaens for S. genialis Wood 1978, Scolytodes laevigatulus for S. (Hexacolus) laevigatus Schedl 1962, Scolytodes laevicorpus for S. laevis (Hylocurosoma laeve Eggers) 1943, Scolytodes majus for S. major Eggers 1943, Scolytodes medialis for S. medius Eggers 1943. New synonymy is reported for Dactylipalpus niger Schedl (= D. unctus Wood), Dendroctonus armandi Tsai & Li (= D. prosorovi Kurenzov & Kononov), Sinophloeus porter Brèthes (= S. destructor Eggers). Species new to science include: Acacicis bicornis (New Guinea), Acacicis zeylanicus (Sri Lanka), Sphaerotrypes bengalensis (India), Sphaerotrypes costatus (North Andaman Island), Sphaerotrypes cristatus (Sri Lanka), Sphaerotrypes pentacme (Burma), Sphaerotrypes ranasinghei (Sri Lanka), Xylechinus ougeiniac (India), Xylechinus padus (India).     

New Astragalus (Leguminosae) from the Goose Creek Drainage, Utah - Nevada

A new species, Astragalus anserinus Atwood, Goodrich, & Welsh, is described from specimens taken from tuffaceous outcrops in the Goose Creek drainage of Box Elder County, Utah and Elko County Nevada.        

New Sclerocactus (Cactaceae) from Nevada

Described is Sclerocactus blainei Welsh & Thorne, sp. nov. from Nye County, Nevada.