er dui, dena hd ; HM yuyyey iad | ae U/ j She sNanaaiees xe Rt ¥ ha ghd yt a aN Ke Th: CATES ESS CONVOV Uo MOU” J ~ | tata bt ASO) ¥ ee ee Historic, archived document Do not assume content reflects current scientific knowledge, policies, or practices. Wes ioe.) : Ses NS 1\On pA AyaMniggh teen ner ick ve “Wh at ala nranneih ma ‘aan 7 Aan Pare an an SAAR. rae & AAA Aan? “mA Apa ane A a ONS AON Ran = BA RAAAA ALNAAAAA OO BANE S Neale SPA A gee ol 32 Bey Piel Ne lay Way ar AARAN RaAP RA pe AA sAAnAS Aaah Ana A BARA Maar NONAN, : ann, eae | hey Far a ee Sige ANSE: At Ag, lalate Pals s RAR re eRe a 1 ao Metatatata : NAS nAL 2 ARAA ann Annnanann Annan Nae Rise egeetanae aaa ‘ Aan” " Aaige: NANA : at AMARANAR An AANA Nan AAAA A A me iti Aya Bae Wry 2 eee Ps aS 2 = g ee 2a > 5 Pee > > oe > Sis bi 3D, Bae wD) Hee > AAR ent hai Mae PARP, a Sala ARE AS a gary! Wale oes An : pen A egal ns | Mie? (Aap ‘Aaa! ms | Aran APAA AA VIA AAaNwA Aids renee NN cnn = 10 fr AA, A Ailes ie Ring AR AAR ane, i nil ANN nal Anno" pone : Ae An vin . pea pakice | : DAD ANE ESE Aa a” A | nr “A A’ seannn anna x fr ‘a ¥ ‘A 5 iA, / > Ee x ie < > & > 5 » > D>» aNnnnr A Af AR: > 2 » Soi SP DDD: Ste > Fee >): i) y - ce IP} ig 2» a > PV) p> >” 22 > > is > ~ fe 3 3. D> > 220 > > ri >a? D> > SS yy» D vt An ul NAR. AAAA ry \ sf Py Gare: OANA Ae Issued September 19, 1912. U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY—BULLETIN No. 44 HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief FOOD OF OUR MORE IMPORTANT FLYCATCHERS BY Hemi: BATA hy Assistant, Biological Survey ae = Are : eo a WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 1912 Plate i, f Agriculture. Bul. 44, Biological] Survey, U. S. Dept. KINGBIRD Issued September 19, 1912, US DEPAR IMENT OF AGRICULTURE BIOLOGICAL SURVEY—BULLETIN No, 44 HENRY W. HENSHAW, Chief FOOD OF OUR MORE IMPORTANT FLYCATCHERS hee BAL Assistant, Biological Survey Islan will I = = oi, C= = le A ." < . G Ss WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFIOE 1912 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, BIOLOGICAL SURVEY, Washington, D. C., April 5, 1912. Sir: I have the honor to transmit herewith, and to recommend for publication as Bulletin No. 44 of the Biological Survey, a report on the Food of Our More Important Flycatchers, by F. E. L. Beal. As more than 90 per cent of the food of the 17 species discussed in this paper consists of insects, their economic importance is at once appar- ent. Unfortunately some of the insects taken by flycatchers for food are parasitic and predaceous Hymenoptera, which are to be classed among useful insects. Impartial consideration of the diet of these {lycatchers throughout the year, however, leads to the conyvic- tion that on the whole the birds do considerably more good than harm, and hence should be protected as allies of the farmer and the horticulturist. Respectfully, Henry W. HENsnHaAw, Chief, Biological Survey. Hon. JAMES WILSON, Secretary of Agriculture. CONG EsNelese _ STVEROG WCCO TRS ie expe pees hs eno oa a Rf ea sn Rg A nA Beiscor-nalled. tycatcher, (Miuscyvoras/ Onficala) =< ec 2. we eae ee Paes ee BRIT (EATON TUS, LOTUS) eters vane crs tee a eet A eee es Arkansas kingbird ( Tyrannus verticalis)......-..------- Ry SF ll) eo ne tee SEITE S) Mer efed os hs by IMIR UES CLGTED) RIL OS) vs See eee te See SR Re eon mee Se RP 8 Rested hy CatChers(CMaMancnuUs: Crus) ssc nere a eee a Dee See See fes-throated flycatcher (Miarchus cinerascens): 2.00.22) 3840 2 en 7 EOBIOLE US WCE HES 90) 09 AU) a ees aia ae ea Oma Die a PSE Ge oe pe Mr BrMEaEE) OCIS Gs US AU OUIL USI SCS) nia ane ers i See eS aamaNe Nani es oe Accu tion aaa Beet Ka UC DE (SAUOMRLUSKIIGTICAIES xo tiers eta ne Sy ES (eerie Sie eh Bre e- Nac tycatchen CNVULLCLLOTIISLOOTCAUS 2. 28. Fe eee ey eae ee BIB OGM ENTE YC MI LOChUNES LAT CNS) samt Rsey a SIE ees Ga Se Eee WWestern wood pewee (Myiochanes richardsont).......---..------------++------ Yellow-bellied flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris)........-.--.-------2------- Western yellow-bellied flycatcher (Hmpidonaz difficilis).........-.----------- Pmexlancihy catcher CHM PIdOnGL WieCsSCONs ns ae eee as ee ee Se Traill’s and alder flycatchers (Hmpidonaz trailli trailli and E. t. alnorum)...-.- Least flycatcher (Hmpidonax minimus)............------ JULY, POU Sh ARO Se Page. [Keine birds res gee ele en ene tenes Rae Ce aie Frontispiece. Arkansas (kame ind se) cane eee Wid Sieh ire wate ae Veen Se ae eee 20 Grestedcflycateher’ | )n2 sates ape a te cya cae cess ele Cen ela eu ae 24 Phoebe recs no oe See OM es Wie ones eA as ean Ae et epee 32 Black PRC De a oi.ce sre ret eee ee ene el he ee a ee ye 40 4 FOOD OF OUR MORE IMPORTANT FLYCATCHERS. INTRODUCTION. The flycatchers for the most part inhabit the open country, and prefer to live about gardens, orchards, and sparsely timbered hill- sides. Several species are not averse to human neighbors and make their nests in the crannies of buildings, while a number of others build in covered sites, such as hollow trees, under bridges, or under the overhanging bank of a stream. Many of the species show a strong liking for the vicinity of water, and are frequently to be found in the neighborhood of streams or pools, and in dry parts of the country every watering trough by the roadside has its attendant flycatcher. This fondness for the vicinity of water doubtless arises from the fact that insects are abundant in such situations. Most of the species are migratory, though some of them within rather narrow limits. These birds are extremely agile upon the wing, and turn in the air with extraordinary facility, which enables them to catch the flying insects, of which their food largely consists. Their favorite method of feeding is to perch upon a post, stake, or leafless twig, and from this outlook watch for their prey, and then to sally forth and snap the luckless insect in midair, often with a sharp click of the bill and a sudden turn back toward the perch. One prominent characteristic, which is more or less marked in the whole family of flycatchers, is the pugnacity they display toward crows, hawks, or other large birds. This is especially shown when the intruders come about the nests of flycatchers, when they are attacked with the greatest vigor and driven off. This trait is particularly marked in kingbirds, so that if a pair of them nest in the vicinity of a poultry yard they serve as protectors of the poultry. Within the limits of the United States there are 31 species of fly- catchers; 1 is of accidental occurrence and 8 are of limited distribu- tion and therefore of little economic importance. For the following discussion of the food of flycatchers 3,398 stomachs were examined, belonging to 17 species. Most of them were obtained in the United States, though a few were taken in British America. The animal food in the whole number of stomachs averages 94.99 per cent and the vegetable 5.01 per cent. In the following table the species are arranged in the order of the amount of their animal food. As some of the species are represented by a comparatively small number of stomachs, this arrangement can not be considered final. 5 6 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. TaBLe I.—Percentage of animal and vegetable food found in stomachs of flycatchers: Species. Numberof| Animal | Vegetable stomachs. food. food. Olive-sided flycatcher (Nuttallornis borealis)..................----- 69 99.95 0. 05 Western wood pewee (Myiochanes richardsoni) ........------------ 174 99.93 -07 Sayes phoebe (SayOrnis Says) assess ache nee e eee een eee eee see aoe 111 99.78 -22 Blacksphoebe (Sayornis nicricans) =o os' sean ee see eee eee 344 99. 41 .59 Western yellow-bellied flycatcher (Empidonax difficilis)............ 157 99.31 - 69 Wood pewee:(Myijochanesivirens) 22 so oecos scenes ce see nee eee eee 359 98. 97 1.03 Least flycatcher (Empidonax minimus)................------.----- 177 97.83 PS Algl Acadian flycatcher (Empidonax virescens) .............--.--------- 160 97.05 2.95 Yellow-bellied flycatcher (Empidonax flaviventris).............---- 103 97.01 2.99 Scissor-tailed flycatcher (Muscivora forficata).................------ 129 96.12 3.88 Alder flycatcher (Empidonax trailli alnorum)...................... 135 96.05 3.95 Crested flycatcher (Myiarchusicrinitus) ..: 4... <<:-sh.o-scs--s--2--- as 265 93.70 6.30 Ash-throated flycatcher (Myiarchus cinerascens)...............----- 91 92.32 7.68 Arkansas king bird (Tyrannus Verticalis))\.-.2< Q ee Q pa as °o = a 3 S 3 | Elie elas eels audi ats = lS rae se oe Ss Si sev el elo lesan as 2 | 2 i} pee ba o = x fan ae | ees a maya |;o jx a |< a |S Scissor-tailed flycatcher ....| 96.12) 3.88) 13.74) 12.81) 10.17) 3.80) 46.07) 4.61) 0.39} 4.53) 2.43) 1.45 King bind seus 2201.8 Ss Sos = 88. 93} 11.07} 25.35) 32.39) 3.77{ 3.19) 11.83) 3.18) 7.70 52} 10.71 36 Arkansas kingbird.......-- 90.61} 9.39) 17.02) 31.38) 5.36} .55) 27.76) 7.31) .99 24) 9.34 05 Cassin’s kingbird..........- 78. 57| 21.43} 14.91) 21.61) 3.41) 2.91) 14.67) 18.21) 2.51 34) 19 09; 2.34 Crested flycatcher .........- 93.70} 6.30) 16.78) 13.69) 14.26} 3.06! 15.62) 21.38! 4.88) 4.03! 5.36 94 Ash-throated flycatcher ....} 92.32] 7.68) 7.26) 26.94} 20.11) 12.83) 5.14) 17.11] 1.98 95) 7.64 04 LENUCG 2) Oyo ~ Se See Ae Re 89. 23} 10.77] 15.33] 26.69) 10.38) 6.89) 12.91) 8.86) 8.17 00} 4.99) 5.78 Say7sjphoebestis. - G55. 99.7 . 22) 15.67! 30.72) 4.45) 16.67} 15.36} 12.12) 3.46} 1.33) .06) 16 lac kypH os ben cceee as-is 99.41} .59) 13.32) 30.82) 10. 56] 28.26) 2.45) 8.22) 5.43 35, =. 28 31 Olive-sided flycatcher. ..... 99.95) .05}| 6.24] 82.56) 3.25) .88) 1.12) 4.13] 1.77 00; =. 04/ 01 Ninodine Weere ao. se~conee 98.97} 1.03) 14.23} 28.20) 5.99} 29.98) 3.44) 12.31) 2.61) 2.21) .84 19 Western wood pewee.....-- 99.93} .07) 5.44) 39.81) 1.79) 44.25} .00) 5.17) 3.23) .24) .05| .02 Yellow-bellied flycatcher...| 97.01) 2.99) 16.53] 46.25) 4.16) 14.89} .00) 5.68) ~.98) 8.52) 2.51) .48 Western yellow-bellied fly- | Catchenetaaesscssec asso | 99.31) .69) 8.39) 38.76) 8.44) 31.22 62) 6.59) .71| 4.58) .38) .31 Acadian flycatcher ........- | 97.05} 2.95} 13.76) 39.93] 6.03] 8.15) 6.38) 18.87; .99} 2.94) 2.68) .27 Ader aycatcher:- 22. sc. | 96.05} 3.95] 17.89] 41.37] 7.24) 14.20) 3.91) 7.73} 2.77 94) 3.88) .07 Least flycateher............ 97.83} 2.17} 21.35) 41.10) 11.12).11.34) 2.59) 7.27) .95) 2.11) 1.83) .34 AVETALC cs cece sencunee 94.99) 5.01) 14.31) 34.41 7.68) By 9.99) 9.93) 2.91) 2.05 re 77 INTRODUCTION. 4 Farmers and horticulturists have never accused the flycatchers of doing any harm to their crops. The most that has been said against them is that certain of the larger species feed to a harmful extent upon honeybees. Stomach examinations, however, do not sustain this accusation. Honeybees do not form an important percentage of the food, and, moreover, a large proportion of those eaten are drones or males, of which, as is well known, there is in every hive a super- fluity. The real harm, if any, done by this family of birds is in the destruction of predaceous and parasitic Hymenoptera. Of the former, however, so few are eaten that their loss is of no practical importance. Some parasitic Hymenoptera are taken by most flycatchers, and with certain of the smaller species they amount to a considerable percentage of the food. While theoretically this is harmful to the interests of husbandry, the precise amount of the damage is impos- sible of estimation. The parasites themselves often destroy useful insects, including other parasites, or are themselves destroyed by other insects, so that the question of the final result involves a prob- lem so delicate and complicated as to preclude exact solution. It is a well-known fact that Hymenoptera, aside from the parasitic species, are largely instrumental in the pollenization of plants, and many species are absolutely dependent upon insects for this service. So completely is this true that where cucumbers are raised under glass it is necessary to keep a hive of bees in each house or the crop will fail. In view of this fact the birds must be considered to render a very questionable service in destroying so many of these insects. On the other hand a single insect can pollinate a great many flowers, and as these insects are usually superabundant the harm done by their destruction is less than might at first be supposed. Moreover, this order of insect is not the only one that enjoys the distinction of serving as pollen bearers. Many beetles and flower-loving flies also transfer pollen from flower to flower and so help in this necessary work, In considering the economic bearings of the food of the flycatchers one is impressed by the fact that it includes a large percentage of use- ful insects. The great order of Hymenoptera, which constitutes one- third of the average food of the flycatcher family, may fairly be classed as beneficial. The absolutely harmful species in this group are comparatively few, while the decidedly useful ones are many. As shown in the following pages, however, their food includes many insects other than Hymenoptera which are seriously destructive to crops, and it is believed that, weighing as impartially as possible the injuries done and the benefits conferred by them, their good qualities outweigh the bad and that the flycatchers herein discussed fairly earn the right to live unmolested. 8 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER. ( Muscivora forficata.) The scissor-tailed flycatcher is found in the United States, chiefly from central and eastern Texas and Oklahoma to southern Kansas, during the months from March to October; casually in western Louisi- ana, western Arkansas, and southwestern Missouri. In winter it moves farther south and with few exceptions retires beyond our southern boundary. Like the kingbird it prefers the open country to forests, and seems to be best suited with prairies or rolling country with scattered trees on which it can nest. In settled territory it takes kindly to orchards and even gardens in the near vicinity of buildings. While generally a quiet bird that lives on good terms with its neighbors, it displays something of the aggressive spirit of the kingbird in relation to crows and hawks, which it attacks with great vigor when they appear near its nest. The following descrip- tion of some of the bird’s habits is as good as has been written: One of his favorite performances is to fly up and, with rattling wings, execute an aerial seesaw, a line of sharp-angled VVVVVVV’s, helping himself at the short turns by rapidly opening and shutting his long white scissors. As he goes up and down he utters all the while a penetrating scream ka-quee’-ka-quee’-ka-quee’-ka- quee’-ka-quee’, the emphasis being given each time at the top of the ascending line. Frequently when he is passing along with the even flight of a sober-minded crow, and you are quietly admiring the salmon lining of his wings, he shoots rattling into the air, and as you stare after him drops back as suddenly as he rose. He does this apparently because the spirit moves him, as a boy slings a stone at the sky, but fervor is added by the appearance of a rival or an enemy, for he is much like a Tyrannus in his masterful way of controlling his landscape. He will attack caracaras and white- necked ravens, lighting on their backs and giving them vicious blows while scream- ing in their ears.1 The following discussion of this bird’s food is based upon the contents of 129 stomachs taken in the months from April to October, inclusive. They are rather irregularly distributed, and only one was taken in the latter month. They were collected in the State of Texas except one from Florida, which is considerably outside of the bird’s usual range. The animal food amounts to 96.12 per cent of the stomach contents, practically all of which was made up of insects and spiders. The vegetable food amounts to 3.88 per cent and is composed of small fruits and seeds. Animal food.—Of the animal food beetles amount to 13.74 per cent and form a rather constant article of diet. Less than 1 per cent belong to theoretically useful families. The others are practically all of harmful species. Diabrotica 12-punctata was found in 1 stomach. This is the well-known 12-spotted cucumber beetle, which often does great injury to that plant, as well as to squash vines, corn, clover, beets, beans, peas, and asparagus. Snout beetles, or weevils, were 1 Bailey, Florence Merriam, Handbook of Birds of the Western United States, p. 247, 1902. ! } SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER. 9 found in a number of stomachs and 4 contained the well-known cotton-boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis), an insect which for the last 10 years has threatened the whole cotton industry of the South. The month of greatest beetle consumption is May, while June shows the least, but as only 2 stomachs were taken in that month the record is perhaps not reliable. Hymenoptera (bees and wasps) are eaten to the extent of 12.81 per cent, which is the lowest record but one for this item among the flycatchers. As arule, Hymenoptera constitute one of the most important elements, of the flycatcher’s diet. As these insects, except the ants, are almost constantly on the wing during daylight, they are peculiarly adapted to the flycatcher’s method of feeding. Those eaten by the scissortail are mostly of the larger kinds, 1. e., bees and wasps, with very few of the smaller parasitic species. Hemiptera (bugs) amount to 10.17 per cent of the diet and were found in 47 stomachs. At least 9 families were identified, but Pentatomide (stinkbugs) were the most abundant and were found in 22 of the 47 stomachs. In 2 stomachs was identified that disa- greeable pest the squash bug (Anasa tristis). This creature is not classified by entomologists in the stinkbug family, but as far as dis- gusting odor is concerned it is well qualified for that honor. As is well known, it is a great pest upon squash vines and other cucurbi- taceous plants. Most of the other bugs identified are harmful. Diptera (flies) do not seem to appeal to this flycatcher as articles of food. They were found in the stomachs taken in April, May, and September only, and amount to but 3.80 per cent. Diptera occurred in only 14 stomachs, in 8 of which they were identified as robber _ flies (Asilide), an insect which will be more fully discussed in rela- tion to the kingbird. Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) are evidently the favorite food of the scissortail. They were found in the stomachs of every month, with a good percentage in all except April. The average for the year is 46.07 per cent—the highest for any flycatcher. The 1 stomach taken in October contained 86 per cent of these insects, but it is probable that the month of maximum consumption is July, when they amount to over 65 percent. As this bird is said to seldom light upon the ground, it follows that these insects must be captured when they take their short flight or jumps. Melanoplus femur- rubrum was identified in 1 stomach and was probably contained in many more but too badly broken for recognition. This is the well-known red-legged grasshopper that often does great harm to grass and grain crops. In general grasshoppers and crickets are eaten to the greatest extent by the ground-feeding birds, such as the meadowlark, while the flycatchers take the flying Hymenoptera. In this case the rule seems to be reversed. Of the 129 stomachs 88 41895°—Bul. 44—12——2 10 _ FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. contained grasshoppers or crickets and 8 held no other food. Cater- pillars, with a few moths, constitute a small but rather regular article of diet with the scissortail. They amount to 4.61 per cent for the year and were found in the stomachs of every month except October. In several stomachs the cotton leaf worm (Alabama argillacea) was identified and the cotton bollworm (/eliothis obso- feta) in another. Both of these are well-known pests of the cotton plant and also feed upon a number of other cultivated plants. The latter is also well Known as the corn worm, because it feeds upon the sweet corn of the garden. It also preys upon tomatoes and occa- sionally upon beans and peas. A few dragon flies and some other miscellaneous insects and spiders make the rest of the animal food, 4.92 per cent. Following is a list of the insects identified in the stomachs and the number of stomachs in which each is contained: HYMENOPTERA (bees and wasps). VCS CAS Dene Oates ee ey nt come een Le ODOM Spe soko oon oa ae eee (OF EU SOS Ose CG tO Gitar Scere ens Sl ak el OGOnOmiynimer Sp tae ee 4 COLEOPTERA (beetles). @icindela rectilaterd 2. 0225. 22 2 EU phOMa nda see oP Ea eal Cicindelaschauppits 22. 42 2) Stenosphenwus delosus: 2) | Gans a8: if Megoila maculatas 2228 ion eis: AienCyllenecrinicornis:: 0). ssival ee. nea ee Coceinella.abdominalis. ..5--2..2. 25. VelCyllememobiniiee ae eo ea yee. ee eee LISLE GO UTCUUOUUS. 2 oes ens eee Ll Wepre specs tuo eS. ace se aa VAC OGERG MAULULATIS Nee eee ee LE MODETEG SDs ce boo oe ees ec erage 1 EU CRNUG COTTUSCH “Sees od che ee 1 | Cryptocephalus cribripennis....-.----- 1 Chauliognathus marginatus......-.--.- 2"| Diabroiica 12-punctatas 5 eee 1 Canthon:leconter: s. 324.2522 2 G2) |, 4a Macrobasis albidda: 2232 4 nr ay Geet Ganthon cyanelluses.< 2222 02k cata lemniscaigs ass ee ee wees 2 Canihonleevissee ap aeeh ss) eae ee tees gl eEs VCO Lan UL TLC OT USee ee ode ene 4 Canthon Spee este sao ee eee Zit PUCOULOIS ee ae aes seek oc oie hele eee Onihophagus pennsylucmicus, “2 | Ophrjastesttuberostss. 83) Fisc.e s a 2, Onihophagus sp. .- 22252 2st ee ie. al 4 Phacepholistelcgans# ss = sa. hae il BOlbOOCer AS: fANCLUS..528. a bode tes ad | Anthonomus grandis§.2252 ee 4A PCHClOnYy Cha, Sp =. aoe ei = EL A SOLON VI LSISD ag a ects: auch ee Tae ee 2 WZ OCIROSUETNVGISD)= es tee Meee are es -Calandnasonycee sn Ses erie ees 1 PEED LOT UD ULLGUAC EN a eee A) LEPIDOPTERA. Cotton leaf worm (Alabama argil- Cotton bollworm (Heliothis obsoleta). 1 VSCCCH) RMR Ns Wh Renny ihre eaten Nee 3 HEMIPTERA (bugs). Cicadas We fae so se 3 Gea ate a DRE ESCH ISU Steer eet ee gy ee 1 WAUUOCIZESMUTTOLOUOs = nee cage ee Le renyOntareustatOten 2s 2 ee eee Sar eres SMATetrUSs GNChOrago. usu. AN Ai LRA NOSONETISEUS Ds nes arom Lea! Ni aaa A Mae 2 CHibalus pugnaz.....-.--- are Hee Ta ePhymatasp sss Te ae es Se ase 1 BEICESCIUISULLS SCTULLS fate izta eae Wale Oe Le ZQuhaispyce aaas eee ee ae ee 1 THE KINGBIRD. | hi ORTHOPTERA (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.). ISYUROUIAACULLCOTNIS 2 == 1-2-2 2 S el Choriophaga wridivfasciata.; 22 2.22 SE Melanoplus femur-rubrum......----- NPT PHCLIVOROCOMLOLCLOUISHSE (= tise, peer es ae 1 WMAGHODIUS Sp ts. 3-2 Sys as = - spaeeat IG RLLrstS eee ae eye Seem ks aes 9 NEUROPTERA Mantispa Orunned: -.)- 4-5 285-320 Sal Mantis pa spss yee aren eee eee il Vegetable food.i—The vegetable food consists of small fruit, or berries, and a few seeds. The total percentage, 3.88, indicates that this is not the favorite kind of food, but is taken for variety. Summary.—it needs but little study of the food of the scissor- tailed flycatcher to show that where the bird is abundant it is of much economic value. Its food consists almost entirely of insects, including so few useful species that they may be safely disregarded. Its consumption of grasshoppers is alone sufficient to entitle this bird to complete protection. THE KINGBIRD. (Tyrannus tyrannus.) The kingbird (frontispiece), sometimes known as the bee martin, inhabits nearly the whole of the United States and extends north far into British America. It is much less abundant in the southwestern part of the country, having never been taken in Arizona and rarely in California. In winter it passes beyond the southern boundary of the United States. It is one of the largest of our flycatchers and probably the most common one east of the Rocky Mountains. The favorite haunts of the kingbird are orchards and open pastures, and it will often nest in the near vicinity of farm buildings. Many cases are on record where chickens and other poultry have been saved from hawks by the timely interference of kingbirds that were nesting near by. This habit of the bird was noted by observers more than two centuries ago. Thus we find in Josselyn’s Voyages to New England (published in 1675, p. 96) the following account: “There is a small Ash-color Bird * * * that falleth upon Crows, mounting up into the air after them, and will beat them till they make them cry.” The kingbird seems to be by nature very pugnacious and noisy, and when it nests in orchards in the vicinity of robins, a constant warfare is kept up between the two species. While the plumage of this bird is not conspicuously colored, it has upon its head a con- cealed crown patch of brilliant orange or scarlet which can be brought into view by the erection of the coronal feathers. In the investigation of the food of the kingbird 665 stomachs were examined. They were taken in the months from March to October, ¥o FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. inclusive, though only 3 were collected in March and 1 in October. The other months were well represented. Geographically they are distributed through 29 States, the District of Columbia, and British America. The food is composed of 88.93 per cent of animal matter to 11.07 of vegetable. The former is made up of insects and a few spiders, the latter is mostly small fruit. Animal food.—Useful beetles, mostly the predaceous ground beetles (Carabideze), amount to 4.64 per cent for the whole period. The 1 stomach taken in October contained 12 per cent, but in July, when 157 stomachs were examined, the average was less than 7 per cent. The rose chafer, more commonly known as the rose bug (Macrodactylus subspinosa), is not much eaten by birds. It comes, usually in swarms, about the month of June when the roses bloom. It is very destructive to roses and some other flowers. The kingbird seems to have a special liking for this insect, as 1t was found in 24 stomachs and 1 contained 40 individuals. Other beetles identified, that are of special economic importance, are the asparagus beetle (Crioceris asparagi), the spotted cucumber beetle (Diabrotica 12- punctata), and the locust leaf miner (Odontota dorsalis). The last sometimes completely defoliates locust trees. One stomach held over 100 specimens of a small dung beetle (Aphodius inquinatus), which sometimes flies in swarms in the late afternoon, when it is probably taken by the kingbird. A few stomachs were collected in the cotton fields of Texas, and 4 of them contained remains of the notorious cotton-boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis). Several other stomachs contained the clover-leaf weevil (Phytonomus punctatus) and the imbricated snout beetle (Zpicerus imbricatus). All of these are pests, and the latter seems to feed upon nearly every variety of fruit and vegetable. Sphenophorus zex, the corn weevil, which feeds upon the roots and stalks of corn, was identified in 1 stomach. Perhaps the most surprising and unexpected components of this bird’s food are the blister beetles (Meloide). They appear in the food to some extent in every month in which stomachs were collected (except the 1 stomach in October); and in September, when 46 stomachs were taken, they amount to 11.55 per cent of the whole food for that month. For the entire eight months they aggregate 2.69 per cent, which is not a large percentage, but the wonder is that they are eaten at all. As is well known, these insects contain the drug commonly known as cantharadin, which beside its property of blistering the skin produces other peculiar physiological effects when taken internally. It seems hardly credible that a bird could eat without harm an insect that causes a blister when crushed upon the human skin, but that this bird does eat them, and apparently as many of them as it can get, is shown by the fact that 8 of these beetles were found in 1 stomach, 10 in another, 11 in each of 2 others, 13 in each of 4, and 14 in another. They were found in 70 stomachs, or over 11 per cent of the whole, and THE KINGBIRD. 13 in 1 stomach they constituted 97 per cent of the contents and in several others the percentage was nearly as great. The species identified from the stomachs are /’picauta trichrus, EF. cinerea, E. pennsylvanica, Macrobasis unicolor, Nemognatha cribricollis, and Meloe americanus. Other beetles, all of which belong to more or less harmful families, amount to 18.02 per cent. If to these we add the Carabide and Meloide, we have an aggregate of 25.35 per cent of beetles in the diet, the largest item but one. Hymenoptera amount to 32.39 per cent of the food, the largest item. Of these probably about one-fourth are parasitic species that must be reckoned as useful insects. Of the others the one which has attracted most attention in connection with the kingbird is the common honey- bee (Apis mellifera). The bird has for years had the reputation of catching honeybees to an injurious extent; indeed, some bee keepers declare that if left to prey upon the bees unmolested it will destroy the whole colony. The testimony upon this point, however, is very contradictory, and other observers equally reliable say that the bird takes few, if any, bees, and still others declare that it takes only the useless drones. The following are samples of testimony upon this point: Mr. I. N. Arnold, writing from Richmond, Ohio, under date of September 5, 1885, says: The bee martin, or kingbird, is very destructive to bees. * * * Ihave seen the kingbird bring its young as soon as they could fiy and stay close to the apiary and feed exclusively on bees. They are most destructive to bees that are coming in Jaden, and they are liable to catch a valuable queen when she is out to mate. JI am running a large apiary, and have been annoyed a great deal by the bee birds. Mr. P. R. Staunton, of Le Roy, N. Y., says: The kingbird feeds upon bees. It is especially dangerous when bees are swarming, as there is danger then of losing the queen. Every apiarist keeps a gun in his yard ready to entertain the kingbird. The bird will hover in the air and snap up bees as rapidly as they come within reach. * * * Every snap of the bill means a bee lost. The following from Mr. J. P. H. Brown, of Augusta, Ga., under date of September, 1886, gives a different view of the subject: In regard to birds feeding on the honeybee, I can speak positively on the subject. I keep from 150 to 200 colonies of Italian bees, and make the breeding of queen bees a specialty. For the last 15 years I have made the habits of the birds infesting my apiary astudy. They are mocking birds, bee martins, redbirds, and catbirds. They build their nests in the shrubbery and trees in my apiary. Bee keepers generally give these birds a bad reputation and exterminate them. I have watched the bee martin, the worst reputed bird of the lot, at times when I thought I saw him take a bee, shot him, and quickly opened hiscrop. Thus far I have failed to find anything in it like a worker bee. I have often detected the remains of drone bees and other insects; hence I have ceased to destroy the birds and allow them to have full liberty. The drone or male bees have no sting, and birds, as well as very young chickens, can soon learn to distinguish a drone from a worker. Of 665 stomachs examined, honeybees were found in 22. The total number in these 22 stomachs was 61, of which 51 were drones, 14 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. 8 were workers, and 2 indeterminate. When we consider that in the stomachs examined there must have been at least 10,000 insects, and probably three times that number would be nearer the mark, it will at once be seen that the proportion of honeybees in the kingbird’s diet is small, Other Hymenoptera in the kingbird’s food are ordinary bumble- bees, wasps, and hornets of various species, of which probably the best that can be said is that they perform a useful function in the fertilization of flowers. As there is little danger that there will ever be too few of them for this service, the birds are doing no great harm in feeding upon the surplus. Hemiptera (bugs) are not an important element of the kingbird’s food, though they were found in the stomachs of every month except March. In April they amount to 7.25 per cent, which is the highest of any month. The average for the year is 3.77 per cent. As might be expected, the species are such as can be taken on the wing and do not include such sedentary creatures as scales and plant lice. Stink- bugs (Pentatomide) and cicadas, with a few assassin bugs (Redu- viide), make up the bulk of this item. Diptera (flies) are eaten by the kingbird in only moderate quan- tities, though they appear in the stomachs of every month except the one taken in October. The maximum percentage, 8.36, occurs in May, and the average for the year is 3.19 per cent. They belong to several families, but one is of especial interest in relation to the kingbird and honeybees. This is the family of the robber flies (Asilide), most of which are large, long-bodied, hairy creatures that fly with a loud, buzzing sound and are usually seen about flowers in bright sunshine, preying upon the insects that come to the flowers for honey. They might be thought to be useful insects were it not for the fact that some species have a special liking for honeybees, which they kill in considerable numbers. The late Dr. Riley states that one species (Promachus fitchit) has been known to kill 141 honeybees in asingle day. Mr. T. J. Parrish, writing from Gainesville, Tex., in 1886, refers to robber flies as follows: The kingbird does not feed upon bees, but an insect about three times as large as the bee, which carries off honey-laden bees, kills them, and appropriates the honey. It isa hump-backed, long-tailed, spider-legged monstrosity, of rapid flight, and appears in July and August. Prof. A. J. Cook, a well-known authority on bees, in an.article on the natural enemies of the honeybee, speaks of these flies as follows: Among Diptera the family Asilidee (robber flies) afford the most serious pests to the apiarist * * *. There are at least 3 species of Asilus, 2 of Mallophora, 2 of Proma- chus, 2 of Laphria, and 2 of Hraz that catch and kill bees. These predaceous flies work the most serious mischief south, but are not exempt from blame even as far north as Ontario.! 1 American Naturalist, XV, p. 200, 1881. THE KINGBIRD. 15 Robber flies were found in 19 of the stomachs, and 1 contained 6 individuals. In all, 26 were identified, which would seem to be abundant payment for the 8 worker bees. A few syrphus and tachinid flies and a number of the long-legged crane flies (Tipulide) make up the rest of the Diptera of the kingbird’s diet. Lepidoptera (moths, butterflies, and their larve) form 3.18 per cent of the food of the kingbird. Most birds eat adult Lepidoptera (moths and butterflies) but sparingly, preferring their larve, com- monly known as caterpillars. The flycatchers, however, eat quite a number of moths as well as caterpillars. They were found in the stomachs of the kingbird in nearly every month except March and October, when but few stomachs were taken. Beginning with a maximum of 5.60 per cent in April, they decrease quite regularly to a minimum of 2.87 per cent in July, after which they again increase to 4.61 per cent in September. The cotton worm (Alabama argul- lacea) is the only insect of this order found in the stomachs which is of any special interest. This was found in a few stomachs of birds taken in the cotton fields of Texas and was in the larval or caterpillar state. Other Noctuide (cutworms) either as adults or larvee were. identified in seven stomachs. Orthoptera (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.) stand third in importance in the kingbird’s food and during July and August exceed any other element. None were found in the stomachs taken in March and October, but in April they amounted to 2.40 per cent, from which they gradually increased to 32.83 in August, and then rapidly decreased and disappeared. The average for the year was 11.83 per cent. Like many other eastern birds, the kingbird takes advantage of the abundance of grasshoppers in July and August and replaces some other articles of diet with them. Besides the insects already enumerated, the kingbird eats some dragon flies and ephemerids, with an occasional raphidian, and now and then a scorpion fly. (Panorpa), in all making 1.52 per cent of the diet. The bones of a tree frog, those of a lizard, a few crustaceans (Oniscus), commonly known as sow bugs, and the shell and lingual ribbon of a snail were also found. ‘These last were evidently not regular articles of diet and amounted to only 1.29 per cent. Following is a list of the animal food identified in the stomachs and the number of stomachs in which each species occurred: HYMENOPTERA (wasps, bees, etc.). em RIS MIILCLUUPCNC cre oe tee ects cat son eta DE MMLEQOCHILE SD ieee toes ersys lass aciseie ee 1 MRPEUIE OES LOOQUN Seca So cf see tA Baayen WC wor s 8 -dentad, cee Assan eee 1 PPIUOCES Sate ye aaa aS ht PA TLOENO SII Se reise hae Lid. Vk 2 MPICHISSOOES SP aerecin so aes Seiya oa Oy PAGO POSIEMON Sere ase ey 3 ee 3 BPACOUUSIS Waser ree Sepak iaeis AVR Ih PELL UCLULS ISOs eee rg ak YAN s Se by cures Bed 3 BMH OCO DUS DUS eta. oe a Sac ac Sensis BS IRC OLICLCS SB yeetes ae eh eth eee tyes 1 RECHOERTICHDTCIS 9 zeke k mca ta 1) REPRO ONS Cen cee Re ee ae ee 2 16 IBCMbeL OSCIOLd san ee ee eee AMINO DRE ORY PRUs =) = ee 1 PANTING DIAG VOARU DCS. a ee 2 AMMODNUGSD. = oo: 252 ee se 2 ROM PUUS SP = 2222... S258. eer eer” Vespaigermanica: ..2.52. 2st 1 Vesna maculata ss y= igre ee 5: 2 JEQSIOSS Case eee eee ere eee 1 WOUTCRUSIBPEs eae f 80 nee ees tee ns 3 OhrySis Sp ce = oot Ae Pee dl MaZANG1O-CLIVCLA ste eet, Z, IMAZINCISD apse ssa Se tee eee 2 i PUG ANOTNGIG. 2 oSee 2 Na. oe eee 3 IED OCR ae elytra 1 LGA OTL ORS a PT ee he 2 Cremastogaster pennsylvanica......--- 5 Solenopsis debilis....-...- Syste: es 1 Myrmica sp---.-- es eee eS 1 FADELNOGASIET JULUG ..- 52-22 3 ns = 1 Aphexnogaster tennesseense..-....---- 1 VAIL TVOQOSUCT. BP eens soa ieee 1 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. Camponotusvestiriens.. 222 sees 1 Cam ponoulsisps. 6. 2-4-2 2. ee 2 HE GSUUSKOMLCTLUS ee eee A 1 EO SUUSIS RE SE ase ot ee ee eee 2 POTTIUCE fUSCU IIe: 20 fe se te SOLE eee 11 Pormecaantegna: js: ee Bee 1 HOPIIEG SCROULUSSU a. 55 = a ee i! TOTMUCE'SD scs0 55 2 ee a 2 TChNCUMONULIUS. one ee TCUNEUINOTUSD Siena = Sot te ee 2 Cry pltusi@mMeriCaius 2-2. 2.922 ae it Cri PlusSp ater Si. tei se Ae ee 2 LOM pronogSieaee ee See see il PANU D OSD ctor ce ane ee 1 XYVLOROMUSISDE aeeeaaaee Fe Tose. 1 Opinion ovlineatume 2.2. ae ae 1 Ophionisp? 2.22 ses AS ARB 4 TAN ETIO Sp ee: Fees al 2ogal IP ONTSCUS EMU OLUS a ae een oe i DT CUVEI: COUUNILO Gener pe er ee eee 1 Dremer speek ae a teak Sa eee eee 1 COLEOPTERA (beetles). OiCinAcla Pur PUled=. 2222 a eee 3 Gincindelar vulgaris.) 2s eae as 2 Creindela 12-Gutiata na ee 1 Giondela punctulata.. 2.02.2 ene tie CUCU Se yak ae ue 7 GOLOSOTUCRCHUIGUM Sens ne 2 EMOUDRTUS BPaese foes. ue Seams s 1 OLUINONS 4: es. Fae ate IAS Ae 1 IEECTOSLUCNUS SAY) 2c 32 elms testes 8 1 ESECTOSUICILUS SP oe aae > ok at Pee eae ee 1 PARROT CCLONGU ea eke fe See 2 PARMOTOUNUDIULNCLUCOLUIS - 22 sae a seep 2 PAMOr ODI PUNClOLd. 2). =>. scene il PATHONGSD 2 ote sa ces eee Sas eeceee 3 Walathus Qregarvus 2. - 4.242 Sarees: 2 J EUG UROUESIS Ceres gS ats EE 2 RE DVONGT. CUCU SI, ee co fas sey A mete 2 (CHEB DUISIS Oe Sate aerate eae pi eies Ne 1 Geopinius wncrassatus..=. Le se.22 5 0% 1 Gratacanthus dubiuses-2. <= 23a 5 2 ee - 3 gonoderus lneolass.. 4222+ eres hy: i PAGOMOUCTUSI POLL PES. = = 222 ee ae 2 Harpalus pennsylvanicus......------ 1 MORDOLUSBP 2202 h-c.- ohn = Ree 5 VANTSOGACHILUS TUSULCUSS. . 2.525 see 2 Anisodactylus discoideus..........---- 2 Anisodactylus baltimorensis......--- 2 PAM TSOGACTY LIS SP sae 28 r= et ee 5 Sphexridium scarabxoides.....-.----- 2 INCCFODROTUS GULLAL<.-2 22 = 232-2555 if Staphylinus cinnamopterus....------ 2 Sia phy linusisps sees ae ee oe 1 PhMOnUS SD, sat 4ss. 4S Se Se 3 Coccinella:9-nolaia =F =e ee 2 Coccinella sanguinea var. munda..... 1 PAUMULSTOCCL CUO eee ne ee 1 USter COONOSUS 2 1. oe cn a ee 2 Hasier-abbreviatiisa 2-4: 2st ae ae 2 (ELAS TCT ICT ICONS 2 aa= ye ee ee i SO DIAMUS OSSUNAUIS oases 1 TR OQOSUG WUT ESCON Sea. s2 Bag = eee 1 IMelanOLUSISD seeeeey e eee 3 ET MONTUS OUTIL DUNS a ee ae eso eee 1 TAMONUS KPa ate eel ae 3 ACR OUS- BP testes cee. De See 1 Corymbites hieroglyphicus...-.-.----- 1 WD UCER CO: OUSCUNG: wart es ae ee 1 TD COR CORB IE a ieee trae OA 1 PAG TULUS SDs oA epitope eae - IPRengodesipusice pss ae ee eee 1 Chauliognathus pennsylvanicus...-.-.- 12 Chauliognathus marginatus.......:--- 11 Chawlognathws Spe ses sae ee 6 Podabrusi@ndemare 2 5: 82 aoe 3 WelepROTUSICATOUINUS Sse (s2 ae ee 1 Telephorus rotundicollts.....-.-.2.--- 2 Velephorus bilineatuss.--o-- 565 25 2 Amphicerus punctipennis......------ 1 Canthon praticolas ete sa ene Ly Canthon tleviss ts coe eeee ee cee 1 THE KINGBIRD. GaTeLOn SDs ae fac eae si a=) = Wel peAUPOGETUS ZEUTOLUSS a= Sa\coss.ae oe oes OD TTFURS SS DAA ches Blea eee ag eae GWEC DUMTONCOTQU CTO seer 822 a = See Onthophagus nuchicornis....-.------- MAS Rene) LUNES Die hore lee keke Sea OO DHAQUS NeCAle. «222-522. 2s 5 | Monohammus scutellatus.........- BIT ILO MAGUS Sic oy. Se ray ni fas" 4S eM ecles Spinostsnesces 2.005 sa 2 4 ees OLE SECUO IO LU Se eerstee ea ee-e 2 COUCT CONG mas etetote atm ote legete ep ee tare BROS SDS ease ae en eae oer | $21 OPUOCEMS CSPOTAQU I. =e seis yas os eee RANLOOVUS) [OSSOT 9-5 oa 8 Raia a Ste «2 3 | Cryptocephalus venustus...-...._ 22. PADIOMUUS JUNELOTUUS. ....-.----------- 57 | Cryptocephalus leucomelas.........- PNAROOLUS TUNICOULs.- 28.22. Li Pypophorus viridicyanea. = 2s... AMNOOWUS OTANGTUSS...-<- -- 2-2 0-=>- ie C Rr SOmelan DUCT Gy aaa. eet te ae PPLOOLUSMUNGUINOWUSs =<. 05. 5-- f |\.Chrysomela elegans: 22242220) BU AROOVUS TUDCOLUS: = ..5 22 cos <1 sos TG OStnOVACO Sp sees cna iin aaa I OOUUS SDs Se. ae NS Pee nies Oe UO CRiLUIe Lee ae ne che ee PROGCCTAS [ONCCUS# = eee yee eee ee ML eG DOLCE LO: DUN ClULOe. --. asae EP EREIONUCKONCLONG ALON ace een as te ecto leSONY CRG Sintec eee on ae ee eee Dichelonycha subvittata......-...--.- I Odom totandors@lis 3s. ee eae nae ne ICR CLONY CHES Doce cas eis teats Lene a NOC helymonpna, Onguss ss oa. soe Macrodactylus subspinosus.........-- 31 | Chelymorpha cribraria.....-.-..--- MCU MGStEnIa CONGTUC=an ata ae oe | UTOGUS: ACULUSHs = oa sc. Agee MEEIGILG SICTNQf (1S CO e a er ae en at IS COLOUGTCS COLCOTOLUS Lae seine ace aes MCD OSICVIOQAS). seats ok ey rs eet PO MCTLEULIO ML OLULOM Sai ani Y nas PROM ALG DINOIAIA. 5.525020 sa a SO PGUMINUS OCUCLOTILS: aes ene else PONUELG VOTING. eds se | es se AG MC LOCKOTLETUCOIIUS eee aoe ee BROMO VLCICOLA: J 225-12 eae Se NMED eB DRO es sah, ee sears eae ote Anomald marginaia. 2.22... 158.225). i Nemoonatha cribricollis 21. nes LAC IOTGIEE) 1 a ee er ar eee Sis LELCFOUGSISULN1COLONS sae ones oan es ITIGOAeTMA PYGMLG —. ..----2)---5-- DE DUCHULLG A URUCHINICS Ee, 4 tae iy ereeg eee MAIPRONUS TTICENUALUS... 2 = 2 s.2 21 IESE PUCHAUUGA CUTIE CO sa 22 see ha rae ene PRUOTRAUNG NUWGG. <2. ok ee ee ee Euphoria melancholica......-....---- EL DLOTIO UGTA 22-22 oe a ee bel pices amobricatuss.o) 258 ene PUL OTUL UNO ta Nae eae ee RAD | RY LONOMUS! PUNCLALUSs o-. 1-02 eee PPO SDS setae eee Te AM thONONUS OTANOIS: sea nse eis 7 ee Sremastochtlus knochw:...-.-.------ PANT OIL OOIUES 13 Vis Sie Ieee eee Cremastochilus castanex.......-.---- 3 | Rhodobenus 13-punctatus.......-- Baemastochtlws Spsiiss2.% 222. aL, 7 | Sphenophorus costipennis......-.- Anthophilax malachiticus........-.-- 1 | Sphenophorus melanocephalus....... Strangalva luteicornis.........------ Ie Sipieno phorus, zewas. 2 ewe aie = DIPTERA (flies). MDE IILQLCNET 2.0 im: sri a je os Gee ee le PE LOMOCIUS Spits tse wy ae oe MEUIUN ED ee Scin en et tins eee ly | POCLACANINUS MULLET... 2 cits sence [2 CUD Ee ea I aE ae Aa LEPIDOPTERA (butterflies and moths). MEALS ers ee ees saan wel) Alabama argtllacea.2 2 ie Psat ac MECOPTERA. MPT) pind Sah OTT ND eae ee ee ee a lea ne a 41895°—Bul, 44—12——3 LO el ol me el oe ee) EEA UCGALLGN JULIE OTS sa iy. a perro PE phOTIa SEPULCHTALIS --2-- 225-52 8. Le | Bipicauta pennsyivanica. 4.5.2. 22 © DERE DICTA SP ee Nanas ccie tid Mane Meee es WNHOANnNE RHE Eee ee bo ays on bo 18 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. ODONATA (dragon flies). EAGHOW AD: Sites scenes ee 2 cee 81) POY NE OUTS Ne ule Sea es 2 NEUROPTERA. MANTIS DO SP se cscs sre ae a yew cos asset Nee ree ee SO Sek ens See 1 HEMIPTERA (bugs). | WC OUCET CIULCTULULCTO aoe 3 eine ees Ih JEM MAVORAS MAORI COOLS oe 8 1 LEUO CAA) ESS SO ee ao eae Oy atente IG OeAESHALTCUCULS a ae ee een ae 1 AOUISUSSSDULOSUS seats Seema s ele Sores dA LeU TREC OSCUO. Ube a see eee ee ae 1 Buschistus VOTIOLOTIUS. 3. Ale Suma Giademar a. 9c a" ea eng HE USCILUSLUSUIUSSULUS Sais tere ree cece as GermeSLOnOUOLUS 22 ae ae eee een il FETUUSCHISEUS Se wecyes se ios ero Uae WeMELY OP OMUCIT GAGs me st eee 1 ORTHOPTERA (grasshoppers, crickets, etc.). Melanoplus femur-rubrum....------- OT Ned Rg Bees) a esse ar ep oe elie CS 2 UCTONO DUUSISD tee atc seme ee 24s Udeopsyllamovwsta: ma 0 et eas i Chortophaga viridifasciata.......----- ADV CMODUUS VUCLECUS ie Aare ep iene i Cammnula pellucida =. eters 2 Lo VG ULUSiS DD some ocr iets ents ee cae 2 WDAISSOSICNTO COTOUNG <4 - ence DANG CONENUS See ce eee ere ee 1 CHILOGNATHA. Bucusispemilleped )i Maas ees We i EAU eas kya. Sith ee eet te 2 ARACHNIDA (spiders). VACUO ae eek Rn ale 1 ne ee 1 | Lycosa sp....-...-. eres ee aes 1 Vegetable food.—The vegetable food of the kingbird amounts to 11.07 per cent of its diet, and consists of small fruit, with an occa- sional seed. Altogether it wasfound in 302 stomachs. None was contained in the three stomachs taken in March nor in the one taken in October, but beginning with less than 2 per cent in April there is a steady increase to 35.50 per cent in September. Of uncultivated small fruits 25 species were identified, not counting the rubus fruits (raspberries and blackberries), which may have been either culti- vated or wild. These last were found in 74 stomachs, which is more than in any other species. Cultivated cherries were identified in 11 stomachs; strawberries, which may have been wild, in 2; figs in 1; and currants in 1. Grapes were contained in several stomachs, but were apparently all of wild species. A few seeds were found and some bits of rubbish, but these were probably swallowed accidentally with an insect or other food. Following is a list of fruit and seeds identified in the stomachs: Dandelion ( Taraxacum officinale) .... 1 | Alternate-leaved dogwood (Cornus Common elder(Sambucus pee he) GULCT IU OLIG) ame eens tae eee iL Elder (Sambucussp.).. 6 | Panicled dogwood (Cornus panic- Common nightshade ( Salen. ni- UWIGLO)), wa eat” eden gee aaa 1 GULLIT hac oe see ee bone Ag emer 1 | Rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus asper- Blueberry ( Vacciniumsp.)...--...-.. 19 UL OLUG eee eet Nas NL or ana 20 Huckleberry (Gaylussacia sp.)...... 4 | Kinnikinnik (Cornus amomum).... 2 ARKANSAS KINGBIRD. 19 Boewood (Cornus sp.):..----------- 5 | June berry (Amelanchier canadensis):. 5 Fox grape (Vitis vulpina)........-- 1 | Chokeberry (Pyrus cai Eco ae 1 Frost grape (Vitis cordifolia) ........ 6 | Currant (Ribessp.).. apes il Northern fox grape ( Vitis labrusca)... 1 | Spicebush (Benzoin Faith) pai ee ye 8 Virginia creeper (Psedera quinque- Sassafras (Sassafras varuifolium).....- 18 / CULT SEA POSS SRSA see ..-- 9 | Pokeberry (Phytolaccadecandra)...... 10 Bluewood (Condalia obovata).......- 1 | Amaranth (Amaranthussp.).....--.- 1 Buckthorn (Rhamnusitanceolatus).... 4 | Big (Micus sp.) 2252.22. 2-2 024227 il Beene e (CRMUSISP):.) inj.3- tu = 21a Se oh 1 | Mulberry (Morussp.).. Bran! Domestic cherry (Prunussp.)....-... 11 | Bayberry ( Myrica PEO DARI. 3 Bird cherry (Prunus pennsylvanica).. 4 | Foxtail grass (Setariasp.).....-.-...-- if! Chokecherry (Prunus virginiana).... 10 | Red cedar (Juniperus virginianus).. 2 Wild black cherry (Prunus serotina).. 8 | Sedge (Rhynchospora sp.).......---- 1 Blackberry and raspberry (Rubus Grass seed not further identified..... 2 SI ees ain wii je cts ioe ia ein recite he 74 | Fruit pulp not further identified.... 42 Strawberry (Fragaria vesca).........- 2 | Seeds not further identified........ 7 Summary.—From the above discussion of the vegetable food of the kingbird it is evident that the bird’s economic status is to be deter- mined entirely by its animal food, as the vegetable portion is practi- cally neutral. Of the animal part the largest item, Hymenoptera, is composed largely of insects indirectly beneficial to the interests of man. 2.5 .< = 2-2: -- LEU hONIG WROG= a a. ee ee 1 Puschirius guobupennts. - 2.22... 25. +- ELC DUUT AUN SULUD See acs = tint ane 1 PUMArO URLeTStutauiS. 2 2S ek ZAG astroided Spo. 2. 4 RP Rete ae ss 1 TUDO) OS Ae ear al on ee i EQtaroniychisvminialaast 224 vn ee ] Anisodactylus rusticus.... 2... - <2). <: Ne Haliicaijoliacedin ter. 67 ./i cite the ee 1 Mippodamia convergens.......------ Ze DI ADSLULUSES De oa 3 Maccinella californica: 2-222... = SPE DUCOULOSULONL 2s ice = 2 en BEPUSTCTRIUL CU hora. it SSS oye a Sn Gl NCCESternus RUMERGUS es © = 2c 1 MolOps argutus—.. v0. 2-22 Sst Salli GCUSISACCOIUS eas = sus frees = eee 1 Euphodvus inquinatus...2 2. La2 32... Pus ULOTLESIS Dire tise hea ete eae 1 BRIROUUESISD. vie oc FHS if ks heres Soe 2 | DIPTERA. MEER DOOM OTNLOCILG maaan a0 te saree Sails IGULCTLUD SDS cs < ae cain cee Say Store eee 1 Cynomyia cadaverina........--....- 1, ORTHOPTERA. i BSED FEU YOUR ec La, HI i 2.5) Sc oh i I 2 CRUSTACEA. ESE FD 5 be gee ch ic Ma 1 38 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. Vegetable food.—The vegetable food of Say’s phcebe can be dis- missed with a few words. It consists of seeds of elder (Sambucus) contained in 3 stomachs, nightshade (Solanum) in 2, a single seed of a fig in 1, seeds of tarweed (Madia) in 1, and rubbish in 4. Thus it has no economic importance. The following fruits were identified: Elderberry (Sambucus glauca)...... 3 | Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum). 2 Tarweed (Madia sativa).......--...- A fee eo a oak pe tea a! As i Summary.—It is evident that the animal food is the factor that fixes this bird’s economic position. The item of this most open to criticism is the three families of predatory beetles. This item is higher with Say’s pheebe than with any other of the flycatchers, but still is small as compared with the injurious insects eaten. It is evident that in spite of the fact that the bird eats these useful insects its work on the whole is beneficial, and it should be protected. BLACK PHBE. (Sayornis nigricans.) The black phebe (Pl. V) would seem to have extended its range from Mexico into the United States along the southern border and on the west coast. In California it is confined chiefly to the region west of the Sierra Nevada, and its range extends for a short distance into Oregon. Farther south it is found east as far as central Texas. It inhabits the valleys and is resident throughout the year. Like many other flycatchers, it is very partial to the vicinity of water, and every stream or pool, and even the watering trough by the roadside, will be found to have its attendant phebe. It is as domestic as its eastern relative, and habitually builds its nest under the eaves or in crannies of buildings, and where these are surrounded by a large stockyard with a plentiful supply of water the conditions appear to be ideal. Bridges, overhanging banks of streams, and rock cliffs also are favorite nesting sites. While camping beside a stream in California the writer observed the feeding habits of the black pheebe. The nesting season was over, and apparently the birds had nothing to do but look for food, and this they appeared to do all the time. At the first gleam of daylight a phoebe could always be seen flitting from rock to rock, and proba- bly it caught an insect on each flight. This activity was kept up all day, and even after supper, when it was so dark that notes could be written only by the light of the camp fire, the pheebes were still hunting insects. Up and down this stream there was a pheebe at every 10 or 12 rods patrolling for insects. Observations like these are convincing evidence that the number of insects destroyed in a year by this species is enormous, and the’ BLACK PHBE. — 39 examination of stomachs confirms field observations. But few fly- catchers, or birds of any kind, devour a larger percentage of insect food than the black phebe. It is not at all improbable that this species and many others seldom or never take vegetable food inten- tionally. In many cases the vegetable substance found in the stom- achs is mere rubbish accidentally picked up with insects. Bees and wasps often light on berries to suck the juice, and a bird making a quick snap at such an insect might take berry and all, and when the seeds were found in its stomach it might be charged with having intentionally eaten the fruit. For the laboratory investigation of this bird’s food 344 stomachs were available, all but one collected in California, but distributed through every month of the year. The food was found to consist of 99.41 per cent of animal matter to 0.59 per cent of vegetable. Animal food. —Useful beetles belonging to the three families Cicin- delidee, Carabidz, and Coccinellidz were found in 15 stomachs and amount to 2.82 per cent of the food. Other beetles of harmful or neutral species were found in 41 stomachs and reach 10.50 per cent. Hymenoptera form the largest item of the food. They were found in 247 stomachs and were the whole contents of 15. There is a good percentage in every month except March and April, and these excep- tions are probably accidental. As would naturally be expected, the ereatest amount is eaten in August, when it aggregates 58.75 per cent of the food. The average for the year is 30.82 per cent. A few parasitic species were noted, but they were too few to make a respect- able percentage. Ants were found in 48 stomachs, and for a short time in midsummer constitute quite a notable part of the food. Various wild bees and wasps make up the bulk of this item. No honeybees were found. Hemiptera, or bugs in various forms, constitute 10.56 per cent and were found in the stomachs of every month but May. December is the month of greatest consumption and April and May of least. They were found in 92 stomachs, and 13 families were identified. Pentatomide, or stinkbugs, appear to be the favorites, as they were contained in 10 stomachs, the most of any family. Plant lice (Aphid) were found in 1 stomach. Diptera, or flies, amount to 28.26 per cent and form the second largest item. They were found in 97 stomachs and completely filled 3. They constitute the most regular article in the black pheebe’s diet. Every month has a good percentage, except perhaps August, which shows only 4.92, but the next one is July, with 11.47, and all the others are higher. The maximum occurs in April at 64.36 per cent. The black phebe fairly merits its title of flycatcher. Lepidoptera (moths and caterpillars) amount to 8.22 per cent of the food. They were found in 72 stomachs, of which 51 contained 40 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. the adult moths and 28 the larve or caterpillars. One stomach was entirely filled with the adults. This is one of the few birds studied by the writer that eats more moths than caterpillars, for as a rule the caterpillars are largely in excess. Naturally the flycatchers, taking their food upon the wing, would preve exceptions to the rule. Grass- hoppers and crickets are evidently not a favorite food of the black pheebe, as they amount to only 2.45 per cent. They were found in 39 stomachs, but. usually the amount in each was small, though 1 stomach was entirely filled with them. They were taken in the months from June to October, with a small percentage in February and April. Dragon flies, white ants (Termes), a few unrecognizable fragments of insects, and spiders amount to 5.78 per cent, the balance of the animal food. Dragon flies were found in 63 stomachs, or 18 per cent of the whole—the largest record for these insects yet noted. The wonder is that they do not amount to a greater percentage. The following insects were identified: COLEOPTERA. EO PATUS TUPATUUS. oS so ons 52. 222%, \ | eben cemIsiTSUIS ern. 02 342 nee ee Wee TO OTLOUIG sas oie 212 yey he w= QU NC OTERO TSP ciate ote Meat ce <2 (chris geese 1 BraMycells TU DeStIIS = 2222-2 eee es = IO nthophogusispa eae ere 2 PO PISCEINUS SP 2-222. 22th See © i) Aphodius jimetarius! > sit 2 aes 1 Wsaccoulus ellupticus. = 2-22 eee a ace i |s A phodwuisigrananius 45.625 -2s es = il ONINUS PULCS: 22 32 Sok Note De eA phodasitatise ees ee une Hippodamia convergens......------- Ul Aphodius Ung wiGtus=:25- > eee 1 aap podamia aMbIGUas..- eee SISA phodviusigprpe «aan 25 ce eee 6 Gacomella COlifornicd= 2... 222s =. ae Z| Amphicoma ursing, 0242 eee 2 CV TOCOTUS OF OUS 2). =< meme eres I Gastroideg sprasss <=. 2 ite ee 1 Cryptorhopalum apicale.........---- Tana Senta © aaa eee ea oe gee al LU StETOVINOACULOLUS © 9s seo wan eer | Dia br OticaisorOhioe =a 8 ee 2 SPINS OUSCUTUS =. 2 1: ase eae 1) Blapstinus pulverutentus... = 22 es 2 ISU PIVIVUSILUQENS. 5 \- Lois. ke a See Ae sar LO OSEVIEIDS SO WRLe Geyer oe he eee ieee 4 DS aaRUNLILS LLL OTUCUS a eis =f Sar eee Z| AC ONPRYN GS ee eI de. a ae ae 1 SU PMMUS JUNUOTUOLUS 222-22 4)12 oe I Notovws alamedc ee ae- ah ee il Carpophilus hemipterus...2....----- 1 HEMIPTERA. WEOTOUS SUCCITUCLUS, 1a = ine se oowiwiecie eee Vegetable food.—Seeds of elderberries were found in 16 stomachs and were probably taken intentionally. Seeds of Rubus (blackberry or raspberry) were found in 1 stomach, seed of dogwood (Cornus) in 1, 1 seed of poison oak in each of 3 stomachs, seed of filaree in 1, seeds unknown in 5, fruit pulp in 1, catkin in 1, and rubbishin 6. It all amounts to 0.59 per cent, and certainly has little economic interest. The following fruits and seeds were identified: Elderberry (Sambucus glauca)..-.-... Dogwood (Cornus pubescens).....-.- Filaree (Hrodium sp.).-'- ----=--+--- 1 16 | Raspberry or blackberry (Rubus sp). 1 1 | Poison oak (Rhus diversiloba)........ Bul. 44, Biological Survey, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture. Plate V. fous gasrz Yu er Tes. BLACK PHOEBE. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. 4l Food of nestlings —Among the stomachs involved in the foregoing discussion are those of 22 nestlings varying in age from 1 to 2 weeks. These were separately tabulated, and show some differences from the diet of the adults. The food consisted of 98.86 per cent of animal matter to 1.14 of vegetable. This is apparently more than twice as. much vegetable matter as was taken by the adults, but nearly all of t was rubbish, probably given to the young accidentally. Only 1 stomach contained a little fruit pulp—real food. Beetles, which are hard food, amount to 3.14 per cent. Hymenoptera, which are softer and much more easily crushed and broken up, aggregate 44.68 per cent. Hemiptera (bugs) were fedsto 1 nestling only. It was 17 per cent of that stomach’s contents, but amounts to only 0.77 per cent of the whole food. Diptera, which are softer than Hymenoptera, were fed to the amount of 34.73 per cent. In 1 brood of 3 the average in each stomach was 75 per cent, and in another brood of 3 the aver- age was 82 per cent. In 2 other broods none at all were found. Lepidoptera reached a percentage of 8.23 per cent, but were irregu- larly distributed; that is, they were fed to only 6 of the 22 birds, but to an average extent of over 30 per cent to each. Crickets were fed to but 1 of the nestlings, but in that 1 they amounted to 85 per cent, making an average of 3.86 per cent for all. Dragon flies were fed to 3 birds of different broods to the extent of 10, 15, and 30 per cent, respectively. The average for the 22 is 2.50 per cent. It will be noted that the nestlings’ food is on the whole composed of much softer constituents than that eaten by the adults. If we take the three softest elements—Hymenoptera, Diptera, and Lepidoptera—we find that they aggregate 87.64 per cent of the whole food. Summary.—While the black phcebe does not improve every opportunity to destroy harmful insects, it certainly neglects many chances to eat useful ones. The destruction of a few predaceous beetles, dragon flies, and parasitic Hymenoptera are the sum of its sinning. So far as the writer knows, this bird is welcomed and pro- tected everywhere throughout its range, which is as it should be. OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. (Nuttallornis borealis.) The olive-sided flycatcher appears to be an inhabitant of North America at large, but is nowhere very abundant. It breeds in scat- tered localities throughout, the United States; in the southern part only inthe mountains. It shows a decided preference for mountain- ous regions and coniferous forests; consequently it is not often seen about orchards and gardens and does not usually come in contact with crops. Interest in its food, therefore, is to a certain degree academic. Its food habits, however, are notable from the fact that this species represents the extreme of the flycatcher type. Of the 49 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. 17 species treated in this bulletin Hymenoptera form the largest item in the stomachs of 13, and may therefore be considered as the typical food of flycatchers. In the consumption of Hymenoptera the olive-sided stands at the head. Nevertheless, Maj. Bendire, in speaking of this bird, says: Like all flycatchers, their food consists almost exclusively of winged insects, such as beetles, butterflies, moths, and the numerous gadflies which abound in the places frequented by these birds. Examination of the stomachs of this species shows that the 3 orders specially referred to amount to less than 12 per cent of its food— another instance of the incompleteness of field observation upon the diet of birds. In the investigation of this bird’s food 69 stomachs were collected in 12 States, Ontario, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick during the months from April to September. They are distributed across the continent from New Brunswick to Washington, and as far south as Texas. In the first analysis the food was found to consist of 99.95 per cent of animal food and 0.05 per cent of vegetable. This minute portion of vegetable matter is of so little importance that it may be disposed of at once. It consists of fruit pulp, not further identified, to the amount of 3 per cent, and some spruce foliage and other rubbish, all found in 1 stomach collected in Colorado in the month of July. The two latter items amount to 1 per cent, and may both be properly classed as rubbish, probably swallowed accidentally. Animal food.— Useful beetles were found in 3 stomachs and amounted to 0.45 per cent of the food. They consisted of 1 tiger beetle (Cicin- delidze) and 2 predaceous ground beetles (Carabidze) and were found in the 3 months of May, July, and August. Beetles belonging to harmful families were found in the diet of every month and amounted to 5.79 per cent of the food. Among these beetles were 2 specimens of the cotton-boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis) from the stomach of a bird taken near a cotton field in Texas. Hymenoptera are the staff of life of the olive-sided flycatcher and form a large per- centage of the food of each month. The fewest were taken in May, when they amounted to 74.50 per cent. The average consumption for the season from April to September was 82.56 per cent. They were found in 61 of the 63 stomachs, and 26, that is, over 41 per cent of the whole, contained no other food. Of all the birds examined by the Biological Survey, not one subsists so nearly exclusively upon one order of insects. Winged ants were found in 10 stomachs and entirely filled 2 of them. A few useful parasitic species were identi- fied, but more interesting than these were 63 honeybees (Apis melli- fera), found in 16 stomachs, or 25 per cent of the whole number. Of these, 36 were workers and 27 were males or drones. Thus the bird 1 Life Histories of North American Birds, II, p. 284, 1895, _ OLIVE-SIDED FLYCATCHER. 48 shows a very decided fondness for hive bees, but not the special preference for drones manifested by kingbirds. Five stomachs taken near an apiary at Riverside, Cal., contained 25 honeybees, or an average of 5 to each stomach, and 2 stomachs contained nothing else. In 1 of these were 8 workers and in the other 4 drones. Alto- gether in the 5 stomachs there were 16 drones and 9 workers, a number which seems to indicate that where bees are abundant the bird selects drones. From this record it appears that the olive-sided flycatcher would be a menace to the bee-keeping industry were it abundant in the thickly settled portions of the country. Diptera (flies) were found in 3 stomachs in July and 1 in Septem- ber. The amount for the season (April to September) is 0.88 per cent. Hemiptera (bugs) were eaten in May and June and to a less extent in July and August. The average for the season is 3.25 per cent, all contained in 5 stomachs. Stinkbugs, cicadas, and tree hoppers were the only families identified. Grasshoppers in the diet of this bird were found in only 2 stomachs, 1 taken in May and 1 in July. They constitute 3.36 per cent of the food of the 2 months, or 1.12 per cent for the whole season of 6 months. Lepidoptera, in the shape of moths, were found in 5 stomachs, and entirely filled 2 of them. They were all taken in the 8 months of June, July, and August, and amount to 4.13 per cent of the food for the season. All of them were adult moths and no trace of a caterpillar was found in any stomach. This presents the extreme ease where the adults are eaten to the complete exclusion of the larve, but it is evident that Lepidoptera are not a favorite food with the olive-side. Dragon flies were found in 4 stomachs collected inAugust and September. They amount to 1.77 percent and complete the quota of animal food. The following is a list of the insects identified in the stomachs: HYMENOPTERA. MMPEISETILOLLUIC! Oc iter Soh Sard o aah Nas RG MCS POMMVOCL OL ot 5 ee ee 3 BEOMUOIS VINGUVICUS--. -- 82-2 = - 1 | TD IAGAATLORTUCL Ce a) ee re eee if 2 UCLA DE I ieee 1 | Camponotus pennsylvanicus.......-- 1 BMAIOCOPAVITGINICA... 2... 2 22 Ne! Kel AVA IC] Os) Crs hart Mea ie co if ‘COLEOPTERA. SOON CD (Ut 1 1 1 | Aphodius sp.....- ea eae yee 1 MGLCTAUCHRCTISN Sees 512% 223 worhk. Sects le ech clon Cha, Bic pena tes ee eee 1 LPG OS See LS PESCEDILOTUORSEDILUCIT.CL US ee cess ee 1 Machintotus longulus..... 252025402... 1 | Asemum mestum ...........--.---- if EEEPTESLIS QUIULENIA...-. 2.22. -- 2 1 | Acmzops proteus .........-.------- 1 Melanophila fulvoguttata...........- Ie | eAnithowanursigrandist.. s\s22 hie ees 1 Binihopnagus spi... 2-2 scesosle- Le ASA LONI TUS Sag, Lyts 280. 2 Say ie IL aphodiis fimetarmus. .....-2.-.-++-- 3 | Dendroctonus validus...........---- 1 HEMIPTERA. IGE 0G ee Eanes Sie Sretcia Were aici dtaveioie ac tsheiaicis ore shee hee 2 44 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. Summary.—The most prominent fact in the food habits of the olive-sided flycatcher is its consumption of honeybees. As it eats no vegetable matter worth mentioning, its record must rest on its insect food, and honeybees constitute entirely too large a quota for the best economic interests. Were the bird as abundant and as domestic as either of the phoebes, there is no doubt that it would be a pest to bee keepers. At present it probably does little harm, except when, as in the case noted, a number of the birds take up their residence in the vicinity of the apiary and make bees a part of their regular diet. The food of this bird is interesting, as it represents the food of a typical flycatcher. With the exception of the vegetable matter in 1 stomach, everything it eats could be taken on the wing. Cater- pillars, spiders, and millepeds, although found in the stomachs of most flycatchers, are entirely absent. WOOD PEWEE. ( Myiochanes virens.) During the breeding season the wood pewee inhabits the eastern part of the United States, from central“Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas; its breeding range also extends northward into Canada. In winter it retires southward far beyond the boundaries — | of the United States and returns north rather late in spring, though 2 stomachs used in this investigation were taken at Bloomington, Tll., on the 5th and 27th, respectively, of March. It makes its home both in dense forests and in open groves, and in New England, at least, is a frequenter of orchards to such a degree that it has there received the name of orchard phebe. Although it does not build in hollow trees, it seems to prefer an orchard of old trees, probably because insects are more abundant there. In thickly settled regions it is quite domestic and sometimes lives and nests in village shade trees and forages about gardens. The bird is well known as a fairly typical flycatcher, but it eats some food that can not be taken on the wing. In writing of this bird Maj. Bendire says: Mr. George A. Seagle, superintendent of the Wytheville (Va.) Fish Commission Station, states: ‘‘This little bird has frequently been seen to catch young trout from the ponds soon after they had been transferred from the hatching house.”’ ! Catching fish is a singular occupation for a flycatcher, and doubt- less is highly exceptional. Nothing was found in the stomachs examined indicative of any such food habit. Nevertheless in the stomachs of several other flycatchers the bones of tree frogs and lizards have been noted, so that the case does not appear at all improbable. 1 Life Histories of North American Birds, II, p. 289, 1895. WOOD PEWER. 45 Che following discussion of the food of the wood pewee is based upon the examination of 359 stomachs taken in 20 States of the Union, the District of Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. They were collected in the months from March to October and are well distributed over that time. The food was found to consist of 98.97 per cent of animal matter to 1.03 of vegetable. The animal food is made up of insects, spiders, and millepeds; the vegetable, of berries and seeds. Animal food.—Carabide and Coccinellide, or ground beetles and ladybirds, amount to 3.62 per cent of the food, and this is probably too high, for only 2 stomachs were taken in March, and 1 of these was nearly half full of these beetles, and therefore raised the average for the whole season of eight months. Other beetles constitute 10.61 per cent of the food, and include, among others, such harmful species as the clover-leaf weevil (Phytonomus punctatus), the plum curculio (Conotrachelus nenuphar), the corn weevil (Sphenophorus zee), and the rice weevil (Calandra oryzx), besides 6 species of the Scolytidze, a family which includes some of the worst enemies of forest trees. Between 30 and 40 of these tree destroyers were found in 1 stomach. Beetles belonging to at least 27 families were eaten. They were contained in 220 stomachs and in 5 there was no other food. Hymenoptera constitute 28.20 per cent of the food, and are eaten largely in every month except March, when only 2 somewhat excep- tional stomachs were taken; in fact, were this month omitted, the percentage for the season would rise to 32.15, which is probably much nearer the truth. As has been before observed, the flycatchers take a considerable number of useful parasitic species among the Hymenoptera which they eat. The wood pewee is probably the worst sinner of the family in this respect. In midsummer these useful insects constitute a very considerable proportion of the hymen- opterous food and in June amount to about one-third of it. It is safe to say that about one-fourth of the Hymenoptera eaten by the wood pewee are of parasitic species. This, however, is probably not so great a fault as may at first appear, and does not necessarily con- demn the bird. Two worker honeybees were identified, 1 i each of 2 stomachs. Hymenoptera were found in 261 stomachs, and 10 stomachs contained nothing else. Diptera amount to 29.98 per cent of the seasonal diet and are the most regular and constant constituent of the food. A very con- siderable percentage is eaten in every month, and in September, which is the month of least consumption, Diptera still amount to 15 per cent. In May they aggregate 44.47 per cent, a figure that may -be considered as fairly reliable, for 83 stomachs were collected in that month. Diptera were found in 190 stomachs and were the sole contents of 22. Among others, there were recognized the horseflies A6 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. (Tabanide), the robber flies (Asilide), the syrphus flies (Syrphide), the tachina flies (Tachinide), and a number of long-legged crane flies (Tipulide). The great bulk of the dipterous food, however, belonged to the house fly family (Muscidee). The syrphus and tachina flies are useful insects, but the great majority of members of the fly families are a nuisance and many of them pests, and it is a benefit to the world to have their numbers reduced; in this respect the wood pewee is doing a good work. Moths and caterpillars (Lepidoptera) are eaten by the wood pewee every month of its stay in the north, but not quite so regularly nor in such quantities as flies. The average for the season of eight months is 12.31 per cent. They were found in 79 stomachs, but no stomach was entirely filled with them. The adult moths were found in 59 stomachs, and the larve, or caterpillars, in 21—another instance where the moths eaten much exceed the caterpillars. Owing to their soft bodies none of these insects were well enough preserved to enable the species to be recognized, but, as nearly the whole order is composed of harmful species, identification is not necessary. Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) are eaten very sparingly and irregularly by the wood pewee. ‘The total for the season (March to October) is 3.44 per cent. They were found in only 33 stomachs, and but 1 contained no other food. These insects are perhaps too large to be successfully managed by so small a’bird; moreover, they are not extensive flyers, and some of them do not fly at all, which probably accounts for their rarity in the diet. Hemiptera (bugs) are eaten in every month of the pewee’s stay north, but in smal! and rather irregular quantities. They were found in 98 stomachs, and not one was completely filled with this kind of food. The families recognized were the tree hoppers (Membracide), leaf hoppers (Jassidee), negro bugs (Corimeleenidee), stinkbugs (Pen- tatomidz), squash bug family (Coridz), assassin bugs (Reduviide), and water striders (Hydrobatidee). All of these are harmful in their habits except the assassin bugs, which destroy caterpillars and other insects, and the water striders, which have no economic significance. The amount for the season is 5.99 per cent of the food. Miscellaneous insects, nearly all of which are dragon flies, were eaten with remarkable regularity im all the months from May to Septem- ber. The total for the season is 2.61 per cent. Spiders, with a few millepeds, were taken in every month of the pewee’s stay in the north, but rather irregularly. They are probably eaten as makeshifts when better food is wanting, as on rainy days when flying insects are not abroad. They amount to 2.21 per cent of the food, and complete the animal quota. The following is a list of the insects identified and the number of stomachs in which each was found. WOOD PEWEE. HYMENOPTERA. AljTIS TRQUIN Ta Pp ec oe BE Bae BES CP) CLIT O ATE: Vas aonie aonaae tas usar 2 PMICUISSOUES SDecee <12 oa sites oe eee I BRroclouriypes Spa. sens sense ae eee 1 LTD RON ORE| OSES SE EES Ao a BE terOnval uses Dinesek ca es le ae oe PPO CEUSIS Uae ayes os ea AI he eee GPL ChNCUNIOT Spee se so eee eee iL Br OnEOIS Ds < fe - fips ok hae Elem ulelesiSD Nes Sica si So ee eee 1 DENTURE Be eo Ae eine lea LeSOSLENILS SP na: ase eee 2 Giinysis cenuleans..-.---2--62-- 3: + iO phionOUlincatuim= =.= eee 1 TES NOUR SCOOT Pe Re ees Sees Op Algathisisp:.ct ss 2/03). hee eee if Aphxnogaster fuluum........-------- PED RACON BD usar Des 8 ae ee 1 Camponotus pennsylvanicus....----- Din ly eh RENVCLSCTUCEIUS «20 no ean ee 1 COLEOPTERA. DURARIS tadan cen obese ese aepnons 1 Choina striatopunctata .....-..-.---- ih PAITATE, UNL PUICLUCOLUIS = <5 nin hee ota iL Platynus sp-- eo naira seine elt Stenolophus “DN BTOG pehaaerietaliet Neo eys 1 GCI CELLUS QUIYVINEAUUS 22282 =
  • s0- 2:0 2 MZOOQOTUS) [TOL 522 oe Hoyerg oicync 5 42 Scie s 1 OUCTUSTA-QUILOCUS 2 5 oe so oe 3 1 POTOSTINUS CUOUUSS S25 2 otek eee i Gemnthonrlecontet .. 28225002. S91 1 Onthophagus hecate.. - 2203. Josue ++ 1 Onthophagus pennsylvanicus.....---- 2 Onthophagusispe) 20525525 eee 9 ALRNVUS SD 02.1. ocdc oe ose ee ee it Aphodius fimetariis..: .. 2:2. eee Brae 2 () APhOdVUSTUINCOMG. <2 es ee ee 1 Aphodiusanquinatus>. 223. 322s 9 Aphodius granarius. 35) 23 ae if PAMDNOOUSDICOLOh = = saan oe I ADNOGUUS ED Vent te. 2a ee 6 Dichelonycha elongata... 2-2... ee Dichelonycha spies 225. 1-3 ee 5 Huphoriaindgst =. =. Ye... yi Lumocerusvelutinus 2. .2...be.- 2: sone i Strangalia lutevcornis.. = a ee if Leptura ruoricad. a 2022 hes. GOeSIOCDI isa el. ee ee il AMONG NAGTICOTINS: 22 2. OS ee 1 Anomeaatlaticlavianzs.ic! 4.220 1 Cryptocephalus guttulatus......-.--- 1 Colaspisispicss ein! he: 2 eee if Drabrotica 12-punctata. 202. 2 Diabrotica vittata.. 2.2... ee Diabrotica longicornis: . 4.422. ee 1 ISUSLCTUON/PONUCLUS SE ene ere eer 1 Odoniota.dorsalis. =. oe OdoniotarulrO ene ee ee il Odontol NervOSMn ae ee ee 1 Odontota quadrata 2) 225.222 2) See Cassida:bivitiatas 0.6.2 ee 1 Haplandrus femoratus:-* 7.2202 1 ANGFOCIITUSTIUSCUDCS ac. 2 -tae es oe iL Mondella Serva 42 8n S i IMOTAEUGSD tos tincewee esos VANLCLADUSINOTIDES = = ae nc. 4 eee 1 IS LLOMES LUS DUAL UUSinn isos eee eta eee eee Phytonomus PUNctatuss= = 22s. =e ee 2 Lemosaccus plagiatus 1.2... 252428 2 Conotrachelus nenuphar....--..----- 2 Conotrachelus seniculus.....----+-++-- i AS FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. Gry ptorynchus apathy see ee el S Phen Ophons spe soem ee nee I EZ VACUGIESOCULLOUIS eee ater ene Zale COLGMOR COTY Ze emer ee ees 1 AOZUT US: OPER CULGUUS 2 ae see ee ae Se 1 Eelaty PUSULAUICOnNIS: ean 5 eee 3 Cwlhodesiacephalus’ 825-2225 22 - = ie Lomucus colligrapnus. -.25-- 48s seer il eHINONCUS PUTT hOPUS ase. one tee ee Zi OMAUCUS PUT ee one ae = eee a ii BOMISISUTIOLG Rees ce ac ee yaaa ee L OTLACUES LU ULSUS Sie as See ee if EB OLONUNIUS SD soe jassce os eS Se Pie LOM ed OMECUSCOTONOLCOLLIS nena ns ae 2 SUC ODPRORIULS EL een ae Bae es ae a AS COLULUS CAS VIL OSUS = teary ae eee See DIPTERA. CIO IISOT OD Oe Ee Ag Weal OTR MAYO A701 ee Re PEN AA BAS 1 NOUS USS SA Als ee eee 2: NS GPLOMYZA VU LOATISS « oo aeeeeete e fal: (SD (P/DUED Sy oes ie ees ar ieee ea rare seer eld Ik HEMIPTERA. (OER) 0 Bae ee eee ec nee lt | SELUSCHISIUS, SID So ata? cee teens eee cee fl WSL UCLO CEMA SPL. cos ste Selena Lal Wezanaihilaris et es ee 1 IERCLODELLG UTIDUNCLOLG << a2 eh tle Comzusioteralis. 3208. ee eee 1 GC OTUMELLIO: PILACOT 10 «nc ce Shae ce Tel eSeneaidiademar. ae eee ot ee eee 3 BISCHISUUS SDINOSUS 2. 22005. iat we aiee ple Hygrotrechus spo. eee ee ee 1 ORTHOPTERA. MICELEGUACU SDs 2 oe cleat eee et Lip Lethe spe oso d ees te oe eee 4 Vegetable food—The vegetable food consists entirely of a few berries and seeds. No trace of any product of cultivation was found, except possibly 2 seeds of raspberry or blackberry found in 1 stomach, but these were probably wild. The only possible criticism that can be made is that the bird may distribute a few poison-ivy seeds, for i seed of this noxious plant was found in 1 of the stomachs. The following fruits and seeds were identified: Elderberry (Sambucus canadensis)... 2 | Poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron)....-. 1 Blueberry (Vaccinium sp.).....----- 1 | Blackberry or raspberry (Rubussp.). 1 Alternate-leaved dogwood (Cornus Poke berry (Phytolacca decandra).... 2 QULTNU OUD). oe ones. ct oe eee dy Panic sTass SeeCG Chanicum Sp.) sees 2 Rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus as- PCV OUIG) scr, mn a. ence oeentuts 1 Food of nestlings —Among the stomachs were those of 2 broods of nestlings, and these were separately considered to discover possible differences in diet. One brood of 2 was labeled ‘‘just hatched,” and the food was found to consist of grasshoppers, 52.50 per cent; bugs (Hemiptera), 32.50; and spiders, 15 per cent. The other brood of 4 was simply designated as ‘‘nestlings,”’ with no hint as to their age. Their food consisted of grasshoppers and crickets, 66.25 per cent; flies (Diptera), 12.50 per cent; caterpillars, 17.50; and spiders, 3.75 percent. This food does not differ essentially from that of the adults, except that the softer elements have been selected. The grasshop- pers were, many of them, immature, and they entirely filled one stomach. WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 49 Summary.—The one point most open for criticism in the food of the wood pewee is that it eats too many parasitic Hymenoptera. There is no doubt that all birds which prey upon Hymenoptera at all destroy some of the useful species, but the proportion in the food of this bird is greater than in other birds whose food has been investi- gated. As these insects are for the most part smaller than the more common wasps and bees, it would seem natural that they should be preyed upon most by the smaller flycatchers, which very likely accounts for the fact that the wood pewee eats more of them than the kingbirds. But even so the bird does far more good than harm. The loss of the useful Hymenoptera can be condoned when it is remembered that with them the bird takes so many harmful or annoying species. WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. ( Myiochanes richardson.) During the breeding season the western wood pewee ranges over the western portion of the United States from the Pacific coast east- ward as far as the western part of Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, and the Dakotas, and north to Alaska. In its fall migration it passes entirely beyond the southern boundary of the United States. The bird is seldom found in the forest, but rather on the edge of woods and in groves and open park country. Since the introduction of fruit growing it has taken kindly to orchards and gardens, and frequently builds its nest in fruit trees. Like its eastern relative, virens, it builds in the open upon the branch of a tree, instead of in a hollow limb or under some overhanging projection, as do so many other flycatchers. Like virens it prefers an orchard or grove where insects abound and the trees offer a number of dead twigs to serve as look- outs from which to sally forth to catch insects. The writer once observed a pewee flying forth for insects from one of these perches, and noted the number caught in three minutes. In the first minute 7 were taken, in the second 5, and in the third 6, or 18 in three minutes. These observations were made at 10 a. m., when the air was warm and many insects were on the wing. At 9 a.m. the next day the same perch was again watched, and 17 captures were noted in 8 minutes. This morning was much cooler than the previous one and fewer insects were abroad. The mean of these two observations is 4 insects per minute, and if this rate is kept up for even 10 hours a day, the total is 2,400 insects. It seems hardly possible that one bird can eat so many unless they are very small, but this bird is rarely seen when it is not hunting. When there are young in the nest to feed, the havoc among the insects of that immediate vicinity must be something enormous. The western wood pewee remains on its northern range only about six months in the year, but fortunately that is the season when insects 50 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. are most numerous, and the number that are annually destroyed by this species alone is almost beyond calculation. In the investigation of this bird’s diet there were 174 stomachs available for study. They were collected in 8 States, though most of them were taken in California, and are fairly well distributed over the six months from April to September. The food is made up of 99.93 per cent of animal matter and 0.07 per cent of vegetable. Animal food.—Beetles, in the food of the western wood pewee, amount to 5.44 per cent, and were contained in 73 stomachs. Of these, ladybird beetles (Coccinellide) are 0.26 per cent, and predaceous eround beetles (Carabide) are 0.69 per cent, or in all, 0.95 per cent; that is, less than 1 per cent of useful beetles. The rest belong to harm- ful families, though no special pest was noted. Hymenoptera (wasps and bees) are evidently very inviting food for the pewee. They are eaten in every month of the bird’s stay north and a goodly quantity ineach. They amount to 39.81 per cent of the food of the season (April to September), and were found in 107 stom- achs, of which 17 contained no other food. Parasitic species were noted in 8 stomachs and ants in 10. No trace of a honeybee was found. Maj. Bendire quotes Mr. F. Stevens as saying of this species: T have known apiarists to be compelled to shoot a great many to protect their bees; one in San Diego County told me that he shot several hundred in a season. They capture both workers and drones, and I have examined many stomachs which had stings sticking in them.} It would seem that conditions must have been very exceptional to cause such a destruction of honeybees, for the writer has never yet heard any complaints against the bird on this score and the stomachs contain no honeybees. Diptera (flies) are the largest item of this pewee’s food. They are eaten in every month of the bird’s stay in the north and form a high percentage in all but one. They amount to 44.25 per cent of the food, which is the highest record for this item in the food of any one of the | 17 flycatchers under consideration. This bird is well entitled to the name, for it certainly does catch flies, and 30 of the 162 stomachs were entirely filled with them. They were*so much broken that species could not be recognized, but five families were distinguished. These were the horseflies (Tabanidz), the snipe flies (Leptide), the crane flies (Tipulide), the robber flies (Asilidee), and the house flies (Mus- cide). Diptera and Hymenoptera together constitute 84.06 per cent of the western pewee’s food. Hemiptera (bugs) are apparently not to the taste of this pewee. They were eaten only in the months from June to September, and amounted to but 1.79 per cent of the food. They were contained in 39 stomachs, and consisted of such families as stinkbugs, leaf hoppers, tree hoppers, and negro bugs, with probably others indeterminable. 1 Life Histories of North American Birds, IT, p. 292, 1895. WESTERN WOOD PEWEE. 51 Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) are conspicuously absent from the food of this bird. Not a trace of this order of insects was found in any of the stomachs. This is the more remarkable as grass- hoppers are one of the staple articles of diet with a large number of insectivorous birds, and western flycatchers in general eat more of these insects than most other fly-catching species. Lepidoptera (moths and caterpillars) are eaten to a somewhat greater extent than Hemiptera, though contained in a less number of stomachs, 29. They were taken in every month of the season and amounted to 5.17 per cent. Moths were found in 24 stomachs and caterpillars in 5. Dragon flies (Raphidia), lace-winged flies (Chryso- pide), May flies (Ephemerida), white ants (Termes), and spiders, including one of the bristly jointed spiders (Solpugida), together make 3.47 per cent, and complete the quota of animal food. The following are the insects identified in the food and the num- ber of stomachs in which each was found: HYMENOPTERA. PATE TOMER OTIVOLG Seema eee a) te A tore cf Nat lta SIS TI G, Salis alae G2 2 oe ae 1 COLEOPTERA. Enppodamia ambigua......--=-i--+-. LP eAGrT LUESIS es seus, 22 etre or ace eee i Hippodamia convergens....-.--------- Ue LOL UTES: DOSULUS om teak ee it EPI MOOMNULA (ONSUVETSO-GULLLGLd 8-2 ok | CANTON SPp-- 2-220. 2 en. fetes co ctee i Coccinella 9-notata var. nevadica..... eA phodiis Wilatis=e es 0s an ee 1 meaccinella Californicas. 22 S254 584 e+ Late ApROgusispect so. 2/1) aes ee eee Boccimellasanguineda.- 2-22-22 I DIEGOSIOLded, Spiraea setts Stas are 1 COO CULAUILS we ete ee ee ea ea LODSUULUSISDe fetta se 2 1 SOD GL Oe ee See GRP RUS LOT DCS == 0 se toate 1 Carphophilus hemipterus......-------- iS aloninusispe teeta els eee ee 1 AUG RUGIZOS: (510 ae Iie 8 eg et tan ee a ae 1 ISOPTERA. 2 FEUDS DS ee ROSE OR IIE SI RESE SPI ENIAS csi ee ara a en nee pL 1 NEUROPTERA. Me BALMS DH 274he Hots ee 2 44a. hye: SPO LRYSO PONS Ait tek oe. 2 hy ore ee 1 Vegetable food—Vegetable matter, called by courtesy food, was found in 4 stomachs. In one of these it consisted of 3 seeds of elder- berries (Sambucus); in another, of a bit of fruit skin, with a trifle of rubbish; in another, of one seed of wild oats; and in the fourth, of rotten wood. It may be possible that this bird occasionally eats a little fruit, but evidently not often. Summary.—While the western pewee inhabits orchards, it does not go there for fruit, but only in search of the insect enemies of the trees. It eats but few useful insects, and does not, as far as this in- vestigation shows, attack any product of industry. If, under exceptional circumstances, it destroys honeybees, the occasions are so rare that the bird should not be blacklisted. 52 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. (Empidonax flarwentris.) The yellow-bellied flycatcher inhabits the northeastern United States and Eastern British America in the breeding season, but in migration occurs over most of the country east of the Rocky Moun- tains. It is a lover of cool, shady forests and mountains and is probably the most retiring and shy of the fiycatchers. Its nest is usually built in a damp mossy crevice of rocks or on the ground, or among the upturned roots of a fallen tree, but always in a retired place and is carefully concealed. Living apart from man and his works, it does not come into contact with the farmer’s crops nor his bees, so its food, like the bird itself, is interesting chiefly to the bird student. For the study of this bird’s food only 103 stomachs were available. They were collected in 11 States, the District of Columbia, Ontario, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia. They were taken as far southwest as Texas and as far northwest as Wisconsin. They are fairly well distributed over the five months from May to September. The food was found to consist of 97.01 per cent of animal matter to 2.99 of vegetable, or practically of 97 to 3. Insects and spiders make up the animal food and small fruit and seeds the vegetable. Animal food.—In the animal food, beetles amount to 16.53 per cent. Of these the useful species aggregate 1.91 per cent and consist of a few Carabide and Coccinellide. Most of the others are harmful, while some are neutral. Beetles were found in 65 stomachs and were eaten pretty regularly in every month. Dvabrotica vittata, the striped squash beetle, which is such a pest on squash, cucumber, and melon vines, was found in 8 stomachs, and snout beetles, or weevils, were noted in 25. All of these are more or less injurious. In 10 stomachs were identified weevils of the genus Balaninus, which lay in nuts of various kinds their eggs from which are hatched those fat white grubs so common in chestnuts. Hymenoptera amount to 46.25 per cent of the food and were found in 81 stomachs. Of these, 48 contained ants, which amounted to 13.42 per cent of the whole. Parasitic species were noted in 9 stomachs, and they made up 2.12 per cent of the contents. Hymen- optera as a whole form the largest item of food in every month. This bird is probably the greatest eater of ants of any of the flycatchers and stands near the head in the eating of Hymenoptera in general. Hemiptera were found in 33 stomachs only, and amount to 4.16 per cent of the food. Stinkbugs were found in 9 stomachs and assassin bugs in 12, of which 10 contained a single species (Sinea diadema) with as many as 6 in 1 stomach. The assassin bugs, like the stink- bugs, prey upon other insects, and so are to a certain extent useful YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 53 insects, but Sinea diademais said to have the bad habit of preying upon honeybees when near the hive. The yellow-bellied flycatcher does not select its bugs with the same good judgment that it shows when taking beetles, wasps, etc. Leaf hoppers and tree hoppers were the other families observed. Diptera were contained in only 29 stomachs, but amounted to 14.89 per cent, or three and a half times as much as Hemiptera, although found in fewer stomachs. They belonged to several families, including the house fly, horsefly, and the long-legged crane fly. They were eaten in every month, but June and July showed the greatest consumption. Lepidoptera were found in 28 stomachs, of which 4 contained the adult moths and 24 their larve or caterpillars. The amount for the season was 5.68 per cent. In one stomach was found a cricket’s jaw, in another parts of a locust, and in a third some remains that were doubtfully referred to Orthoptera, and these were all the material found that could be assigned to Orthoptera. As the percentage was very small, it was included in miscellaneous insects, which are made up of these with a few May flies and a little unidentifiable matter, in all 0.98 per cent. Spiders are eaten by this bird to a greater extent than by any of the other flycatchers. They amount to 8.52 per cent of the food and are taken quite regularly through the season. Beginning with 2.21 per cent in May they gradually increase to 14.28 per cent in Septem- ber. Hymenoptera alone stand higher in the food of that month. With the exception of certain nestlings no other species of bird yet studied shows so high a percentage of spiders in its food, though wrens and titmice and some warblers approach it. Probably many of these were caught from their webs in mid-air. They were found in 30 stomachs—just one-third of all. In 13 stomachs they consisted of those peculiar species called ‘‘harvestmen”’ (Phalangida), or perhaps more commonly known as ‘‘ daddy longlegs.’”” These must have been picked from the ground or some plant, as they spin no webs. The following insects were identified: HYMENOPTERA. 2 TURTLES) OLE SA ES eee Ae COmponotus Sp. 2-55.25. a ae 3 °S UATE) Oe a Ts eLVOMIIUUCH USCO, tel ons tee eee 1 BERECISIGPsr Stk eM ONS in| PeleMiteles Spyker) eS hee oye aces 2 feeaper maculata st. 3:92", 208 2/5. 2). eye TEC naplirs spe sees eyelet) PE i UGG OS Se eS le el alessa; Spits. 4a onze (ose satiate 1 RU ZURCIO “CUR CUA: 2. 2 Gc Bye 8 ts 8 sia. My I PXCULONOMIIES SPat- os we 2 het os se 1 CUE OLE ee ee NOM RLOTB Decent en Wc ty Sica, o clei detataes Uae 2 PEMILENOQASICT BP..--.-----'------+--- 1 D4 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS, COLEOPTERA. URL TAULS SD sh See eee a nee i Dichelonyena Sis. 52k eee i Coptotomus interrogatus..-.......-.- IiPAnomala Dinolitdann. = 02 ee ae 1 Cryptopleurus vagans...----. ees i Para aternimas 8 oo eee 1 EMegailakmaculata Wee ape. ae Al Pana spo. tie et ee 1 iippodamia 15-macilatas ss 2252.52 30:1 | eDiabroticawitiata ves a2 eee 8 Coccinella:9-punciata 22222 ae LC erotomatrijuncatas 23 ee ee 1 Coccinella;abdominalis: = 225.8 ey: i) Galerucella, decora ss) ee ae oe 1 WAMUS) 15 DUNCOLl 2.302 ee | Creprdodera helaines sens. aareaae 1 @hilocorus biwulnerus: 2.22 2-2 = IM "Crepidodera cucimeris (2 = Sere 1 VAGTULUSICOENUS Maen ae ie ee Le" Odontota spleen Pe 1 Chailognathus, pennsylvanicus-9.22- 7; Wi| S0lOnes Spa. ene ee 2 AOU COTUS PUIVCLAUA... 32 skeet eee i! Conotrachelus: cleqanss.--.-- 52 e ee 2 ELEM NOTGUSH TOXIN s2\c =e ce i Opec Z: |. Cnemogonus:lecontel coe as 1 MEICDNOTUS COTOMNUS. 2). eee sls DN UB GPUS) ERC 20 Sia cerca ey wae a eee ea 1 COMMON VITUS e Se nets es SS. scenes I Madorusundulaiis= "eee. ae ee i OniMOpragus SPs... <'-ss< chee. ce Z| BALGNIUNUS UN ONIUIS= 2 a. ao ae = ee 2 Aphodius fimetarwus. 2.5. S525. 8 2 balaninus Wasicuss 28 2s 3 Cen ee 1 A HOOLUS TIEQUINaAWUS=-). 5. aes ble Balaninus:Spidie vss sss ee ee i PA OOUUS SP ae ete = eye eg ee 3 LEPIDOPTERA. ° ATG UTAT ARRAS OS ae ard anne LE OTP Ey Vel SROntrie BD eae oil pa. are ta ee ee 1 CUSIOCAM PA SD. 72 5 a. onsen ls 1 | HEMIPTERA. HLUSCHISTUESIS ax oo eer end tata oe wate Z| Achotlamultispinosa. $203k ae 1 IS CONAVAGENEO 23 OIL SES). Balers sires 10 Vegetable food —The vegetable food consists of a few small fruits, none of which are of domestic varieties, a few seeds of poison ivy, some cedar foliage, some scales from a bud, and rubbish. The poison ivy is the only thing of any interest and that was found in only one stomach. The following fruits and seeds were found in the stomachs: Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana)...-. 1 | Dogwood (Cornus sp.)............-- 1 Poke berry (Phytolacca decandra).... 1 | Blueberry (Vaccinium sp.).......... it Poison ivy (Rhus toxicodendron)....-- io] Prutunidentiiieds ie... eee i rostorape:( Vitis cordyolia). +. 2222121 Cedar toliages = 2.0. a ee 1 Rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus as- Bud scalesos [5 sho aera nee 1 DET OU. 2 x oo eso SS Se 1 Summary.—sSo retiring are its habits that the yellow-bellied fly- catcher is seldom brought into contact with man, and hence its food can have only restricted economic interest. Its bill of fare includes insects of a number of species which are injurious to garden, orchard, or forest, as the striped squash beetle, several species of weevils, tent caterpillars, and leaf rollers. Je WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. 5o THE WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. (Empidonax difficilis.) The western yellow-bellied flycatcher occupies the western part of the United States from the Pacific coast eastward as far as the eastern foothills of the Rockies and as far north as Alaska. It is found on its summer range about eight months of the year and in winter in Mexico. While somewhat partial to the recesses of the forests it takes kindly to the open, when other conditions suit, and since the advent of civilization it finds orchards quite to its mind as foraging grounds. Like the Richardson’s pewee it prefers a bare dead twig for a perch, where it sits and watches for flying insects. Like all flyeatchers it has keen eyesight, for it often sees and darts at an insect which is so far away as to be invisible to the human eye. The nest is built in various places, but usually in a covered site. A hollow tree, a bracket of a house porch, a beam under a bridge, a crevice among the roots of an overturned tree or under the over- hanging banks of a stream are fair illustrations of its nesting sites. No complaints have been lodged against this bird by the farmer or orchardist—in fact, it is too small to be able to do serious injury to farm crops, and if it ate fruit it could injure only a few of the smaller varieties. Nor has it been accused of eating honeybees, which are probably too large to serve as its prey. For the study of the food of the western yellow-bellied flycatcher 157 stomachs were collected, mostly from California, with a few from other Western States. They were taken in the months from March to October and were very fairly distributed in time. The food was found to consist of 99.31 per cent of animal matter to 0.69 per cent of vegetable. The animal portion is made up of insects with a few spiders, while the vegetable part consists of a few seeds and some rubbish. Animal food.—Useful beetles amount to 2.45 per cent of the food, and consist of predaceous ground beetles (Carabide) found in 8 stomachs and ladybird beetles (Coccinellidze) in 24 or 16 per cent of the whole number. This would seem to indicate that this bird has a decided taste for coccinellids, though the percentage is not large. As few other birds eat so many of these useful beetles, it is to be inferred that this species selects them intentionally. It must be understood that any bird that eats beetles in California is likely to get a laree number of coccinellids, even if it takes indiscriminately all beetles that come in its way, for the family is wonderfully abundant in that State. Other beetles amount to 5.94 per cent and are eaten with considerable regularity through the season. The genus bala- 56 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHERS. ninus, the nut destroyer, was found in 8 stomachs, and several other harmful species were identified. Hymenoptera amount to 38.76 per cent, and were found in 121 stomachs, of which 7 contained no other food. They were mostly wasps and bees, though ants were contained in 19 stomachs and one ~ was entirely filled with them. But few parasitic species were found. This is the largest item of food and is eaten in considerable quantity in every month. Hemiptera were eaten in the months from April to September quite regularly, but not in large quantities. They were found in 53 stomachs, of which 2 contained nothing else, and amount to 8.44 per cent of the food. The families identified were stinkbugs, tree — hoppers, and leaf hoppers. The 2 stomachs that contained Hemiptera alone were entirely filled with stinkbugs. Diptera are the second largest item of food and are eaten in every month and more regularly than any other. They were found in 67 stomachs and in 5 there was nothing else. They average 31.22 per cent of the seasonal food. Most of them were in such a state as to preclude specific identification, but a few were crane flies (Tipulide), one a horsefly (Tabanidee), a few Tachina flies (Tachinide), and one a soldier fly (Stratiomyiide). | Lepidoptera were found in the food of every month except March, but in July and August in very small quantities only. They con- sisted of adult moths in 8 stomachs and caterpillars in 31. It is worthy of mention that larve of the codling moth (Carpocapsa pomonella) were found in 3 stomachs and were probably contained in a number more but unrecognizable. It is not improbable that some of the adult moths were of this species also, but too badly mashed for identification. In all, Lepidoptera amount to 6.59 per cent of the food, and are eaten in every month except March, July, and August. Orthoptera were found in 2 stomachs taken in August and one in September. They amount to 0.62 per cent of the food. Raphidia and a few unidentified insects make up 0.71 per cent. Spiders were found in every month but March and were contained in 20 stomachs. They amount to 4.58 per cent and complete the animal food. The following insects were identified: HYMENOPTERA. BU FYUSIS SDs cla ot. bf osse ew ott ees tp ER See ee 1 _ WESTERN YELLOW-BELLIED FLYCATCHER. a COLEOPTERA. mersodactylus piceus.....-------.---- Le UH OTTO TA, Ss RE a A AE Ae 1 Philhydrus sp. - ee ee awe | PP AUTOLICONTZ-DUNCLOLO® (2-0 ed Aleochara Neeronicin ig Uae Oe Met Teal PDabnocicassonon 53s be 25 28. oc ft Hippodamia 5-signata........------- I WOiabrOticasspi: 2 0:2 ht est Se 1 Hippodamia ambigua.......-------- Sm ONORTOLSOLOLOMH es ao ae een eee 1 Hippodamia convergens......--------- AP ELOULICOOUNUOT OUR OLD: . 22a 4 Woccmmellaisanguinea=2. 222-22 se: i Crepidodera:sp 42-2... 4° ee 3 Coccinella abdominalis.....-..------- L\/Graptoderd spss. 5) i225 eee il WOCCINCLIG Shon. so ol ae oe | (Chxetocnemas pe =< 4s ee if PATE SOT PULILCLOUL ae Ns oo eee » | Odontota Nervosa. 4 =k. a= 32 ee aL Angtis 15-punclata...2o5. 6222-25-21 5) OdONIOLE SDs 2: a2=s eee 1 PAM OLUS OCCLIGLG 28s See OP i ’Coptocycla bicolor... 226.2 2 1 SEVIMNUS OMCTIUCANUS 2-85... 2222 2.8 “a Coptocyela signiferas 2 ee d WCU INIVUS: OTULETL 2k s cacic ss el. eas > | Cry ptocephalus sponte eee eee 1 GASH) OSCULUUS 4270s res tre coe ee ete 1 >| Bruchus-prosopis== eo en ees 2 Monocrepidius vespertinus.....--..-- 1. Ei pieerus 4m bncatus. 22.2.2. ase et. | Pele) Sitones bigs ee ee 1 PCIE PROBUS ISD 2 acia= ent Sate ee er 2 | Phytonomus nigrirostris.........-.--- 1 PAELTUUS BD fcise toot see otas Be Ey ol eM OCTOPS SB Diaee Was eee 1 PA DROGUES JUNCLOTIUS. . 22 anaes 4 | =Banylychius @Menus. ===: 25.25 ee 1 PA NOGUUS TUTUCOUG. a eas ee 4.| Pndalus wratus ....2..2.2..---<2 5 1 A phodiusanguinatus-. 2.2.2... oS LON Anthonomus qrandiss. 5.022 ee 6 PADLGUIUSISP Aes Ser. LCL Ste Beg 2 | Conotrachelus senreulus-_. 25.22. 1 DiChelOnyena Spe 2-4. (eee a een tinct 2 | Conotrachelus nenuphar........-....- 1 SLENUC CONS PCMSO =y2 os ina see =e 2 | \Ceutorhynchus sps2- ces. i iPachybrachys othonus < <2 3. 3 2 22 3: 1 | (Rhinonceus pyrrho puss. === 2 ee L PMCLOCOUULB Doe osee sets eee L | NBOT(S ered. o.oo tee ern GOlAS PIS OT UNILEd. +2 a. eh ee OE Ree 1S Balaninus Uy Orisa. 220 ee 1 INOGONOLGIMISHIS Ss Sh ot ee Be Ee DIPTERA. | Bluebottle fly (Lucile cxesar) Soles aie seek ee eee ek oe a i: LEAST FLYCATCHER. 67 HEMIPTERA. EOGRUNICNE BPs 20 al- = las a e's lacie = ee WEIULURC SIN Sia see at eAsicinle citrcie, sate fine aca 1 DN COMOIMOCTIIGs 22,526 i Slo sy Aan er foe 2 > es Vegetable food—Fruit amounts to 1.83 per cent, and consists of Rubus seeds found in 2 stomachs, elderberry seeds in 2, pokeberry seeds in 1, rough-leaved cornel in 1, and fruit skins not further iden- tified in 4. Various seeds were contained in 6 stomachs, and rub- bish in 3; altogether they amount to 0.34 per cent. The following fruits and seeds were identified: Yellow wood sorrel (Oxalis stricta)... 1 | Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis).. 2 Blackberries or raspberries (Rubus Pokeberries (Phytolacca decandra).... 1 S]0: es aati cae sn ee 2 | Knotweed (Polygonum sp.)....-..-- 1 Rough-leaved cornel (Cornus asperi- Timothy (Phleum pratense) 22 a PEGG) OG IT ory or NS Oe eS. 1 | Foxtail grass (Chxtochloa sp.) -...... 1 Summary.—tIn the food of the least flycatcher there is no evidence of direct injury to the farmer or horticulturist. The bird eats no grain and practically no fruit or other product of husbandry. It must be allowed that the bird destroys more useful insects than could be wished, but the injury it does in this way is comparatively slight. OUI EOE COPIES of this publication may be procured from the SUPERINTEND- ENT OF DOCUMENTS, Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., at 20 cents per copy = Satis. Sri. c. win, ne wie A in nr tee eae ‘ , ™~ CAL ANOS Poa ae Caen iy ae DWI I _ — . T AIAN LENE: CRETE PTE SCNT WARM A GAN re h Jat , re ‘ May ‘ Nie iis Hay A is re 8 nn ae f 2. fr ¥ \ \V | ei 3 heel \eE D ' a i \ } . i Vio \ , , ri ' he y >. yet ‘ | ‘ 6 Sal , t .