THE FOOD HABITS OF NEBRASKA BIRDS. 



231 



its mud nest attached by the side under bridges and culverts, 

 and which when disturbed flies away a short distance and by 

 emphatically repeated "phe-be" shows its displeasure at the 

 intrusion. It is a very common species over the whole of eastern 

 Nebraska, westward being replaced by a congener, the Say 

 Phoebe {Sayornis saija). There is no reason for believing that 

 the food habits of these two differ greatly in this state. Of the 

 eastern species Mr. Beal writes: 



"The phoebe subsists almost exclusively upon insects, most 

 of which are caught upon the wing. An examination of eighty 

 stomachs showed that over ninety -three per cent of the year's 

 food consists of insects and spiders, while wild fruits constitute 

 the remainder. The insects belong chiefly to noxious species, 

 and include many click- beetles. May beetles, and weevils. 

 Grasshoppers in their season are eaten to a considerable extent, 



THE PHOEBE. 

 F. E. L. Beal, Farmer's Bull. No. 54, 1897. 

 while wasps of various species, many flies of species that annoy 

 cattle, and a few bugs and spiders are also eaten regularly. It 

 is evident that a pair of phoebes must materially reduce the 

 number of insects near a garden or field, as the birds often, 



