i66 



SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



seven heteroptera ; one, a caddis-fly ; and one a small snail (Physa). Two had eaten 

 one hundred and one insects' eggs, but these, I believe, were contained in the 

 insects which the birds had eaten." (King.) 



Redstart [Sctopliaga ruticilla). — "Its broad-based bill, and strong depending 

 rictals, giving to the mouth, when open, the shape of a wide funnel, its keen vision, 

 and its whole aerial outfit are adjusted to the gall-flies, leaf-miners, and other dimin- 

 utive insects among which it lives, and upon which, I have no doubt, it feeds. 

 Could it be induced to live in orchards, vineyards, gardens and parks, it would 

 there perform a work which the Pewee, the Least Flycatcher and the Kingbird can- 

 not. Mr. Samuels says he has known a pair to build, and rear a brood, in a garden 

 within five rods from a house. 



" Food : From the contents of eleven stomachs, examined collectively, were 

 taken fourteen small beetles, some of them .09 of an inch long ; four very small 

 moths, four small hymenopterous insects, one an ichneumon, and one, one of the 

 Proctretrypidae? .1 of an inch long; one heteropterous insect .08 of an inch long, and 

 a large number of dipterous insects, the majority of them less than one-tenth of an 

 inch long. Three others had in their stomachs a single small larva each." (King.) 



PIPITS and WAGTAILS. Family Motacillidae. 



American Pipits: Titlark {Anthus pciisilvanicus). — No extended study of the 

 food habits of this species appears to have been made. It is asserted, however, by 

 various authors to feed on beetles, spiders, seeds in the fields, and along shore on 

 minute shells, shrimps, etc. 



WRENS and THRASHERS. Family Troglodytidae. 



House Wren {Troglodytes aedon). — "As regards food habits, the House Wren is 

 entirely beneficial. Practically, he can be said to live upon animal food only, for an 

 examination of 52 stomachs showed that 98 per cent of the stomach contents was 

 made up of insects or their allies, and only 2 per cent was vegetable, including bits 

 of grass and similar matter, evidently taken bj' accident with the insects. Half of 

 this food consisted of grasshoppers and beetles; the remainder of caterpillars, bugs, 

 and spiders. As the House Wren is a prolific breeder, frequently rearing from 

 twelve to sixteen young in a season, a family of these birds must cause considerable 

 reduction in the number of insects in a garden. Wrens are industrious foragers, 

 searching every tree, shrub, or vine for caterpillars, examining every post and rail of 



