28O IREXE D. DOBROSCKV. 



robins, crows, bluebirds, and song sparrows. As all the Ta- 

 chinidce are parasitic on other insects, this species was probably 

 parasitizing the other Arthropods in the nests. 



Three species of Sarcophagids or flesh-flies were found. Sar- 

 cophaga sinuata was found in the nests of the catbird, and field 

 sparrow. Adults emerged during the month of March. Sar- 

 cophaga spiiria and Lacchoprosopa avium are both new (manu- 

 script) species described by C. H. Curran. The former was found 

 as a pupa, and the adult emerged under laboratory conditions in 

 March ; the latter species, obtained from a crow- 's nest, emerged in 

 March, also the larva? of Sarcophagids live on decaying vegetable 

 matter and animal refuse, and therefore, birds' nests are ideal 

 places for them. 



Small adult flies of the Oscinidae, Phoridae, and the Myceto- 

 philidae were found in crows' nests in the spring months. 



Long thin dipterous larvae with nineteen segments were found 

 in house sparrows' nests. These were reared and proved to be 

 Scenopinus fenestralis the so called window-fly. The larvae feed 

 on the straw and twigs of the nests. 



Numerous species of beetles were found in nests. The majority 

 were in the adult stage and seemed to be using the nests for 

 hibernation purposes. However, in the house sparrows' nests 

 numerous larvae of Dermestids and Tenebrionids were found, 

 which feed on the straw' of the nests. A larva of Ifalachins 

 ceneus, an European beetle, was found in a robin's nest and reared 

 to an adult. Some of the adult beetles found in robins' nests 

 were: Ptinus fur, Crioceris asparagi, Prasocuris vittata; and 

 Curculionid, Scymnus, Melanophthalma and Bembionid species. 



The Hymenoptera found were either parasites of other insects 

 or used the nests for hibernation. One small green hymen- 

 opteron, identified as Mormoniella brevicornis, was found fre- 

 quently in nests which contained pupae of ProtocaUiphora, the bird 

 parasite referred to in this paper. These small hymenopterons 

 parasitize the muscid pupae, and about fifteen issue from one 

 pupal case. Other Hymenoptera found in nests were identified 

 as Megastignnis nigrovariegatus, Passalcecus species, Eucoila 

 species, Hyperacmns linea, Aenoplex belultrcola, Apanteles 

 carpatus, and Tetrastichus species. These were found as adults 

 which were probably hibernating during the winter months. 



