80 



BIEDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FEUIT INDUSTRY. 



recorded it is evident that the birds must exert a powerful restrictive 

 influence upon the increase of the codling moth, as well as other 

 insects. 



SUMMAKY. 



In a resume of the food of the bush tit the most prominent points 

 to be considered are the fact that four-fifths of its diet consists of 

 insects and spiders, nearly all of which are harmful ; that more than 

 half of its animal food is limited to a single order of insects, Hemip- 

 tera; that it eats the particular families of this order which contain 

 the worst of insect pests; that the vegetable contingent of the food is 

 made up almost entirely of substances of no economic value. It is 

 doubtful if more efficient checks upon the increase of many species 

 of forest and orchard insects can be found than the titmice and other 

 closely related species. Bush tits, therefore, are a valuable asset to 

 the State of California and should be protected and encouraged in 

 every possible way. 



Following is a list of insects identified in the stomachs of bush tits : 



COLEOPTERA. 



Crepidodera helxines. 

 Diachus auratns. 

 Orthoperus sp. 

 Corticaria sclssns. 

 Scymnns marginicollis. 

 Scymnns pallens. 



Scymnns nanus. 

 Notoxus alamedcc. 

 AntJiirus sp. 

 Apion vespcrtin mil. 

 Deporaus glastinus. 



HEMIPTERA. 



Nysius angustatus. 

 Geocoris bullatns. 



Saif^srtin olca\ 

 A sp id lot us r'apax. 



Carpocapsa pomonella. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



The following families of Hemiptera were identified : 



Tingitidfe. 

 Capsidse. 

 Membracidse. 

 Jassidae. 



Psyllidtv. 

 CoccidiTp. 

 Aphididne. 



KINGLETS. 



Kinglets, like gnatcatchers and titmice, are small, active birds and 

 spend most of their lives on trees. So nearly do the feeding habits of 

 these diminutive arboreal species resemble each other that in winter 

 it is not unusual to see companies of titmice, kinglets, creepers, and 

 nuthatches all together, engaged in the same unending search for 



