WESTERN TANAGER 473 



September, inclusive. The food in these consisted of over 82 percent 

 insects and nearly 18 percent fruit. Of the insect food, he says: 



The largest item of the animal food is Hymenoptera, most of which are wasps, 

 with some ants. Altogether they amount to 56 percent of the food for the six 

 months, and in August they reach 75 percent. * * * Hemiptera stand next in 

 importance, with 8 percent. They are mostly stink-bugs, with a few cicadas. 

 Beetles amount to 12 percent of the food, of which less than 1 percent are useful 

 Carabidae. The remainder are mostly click-beetles (Elateridae) and the metallic 

 wood-borers (Buprestidae), two very harmful families. The former in the larval 

 stage are commonly known as wireworms, and bore into and destroy or badly 

 injure many plants. The Buprestidae, while in the larval stage, are wood-borers 

 of the worst description. Grasshoppers were eaten to the amount of 4 percent, 

 and caterpillars to the extent of less than 2 percent. 



The greater part of the fruit eaten appeared to be the pulp of some large kind 

 like peaches or apricots. One stomach contained seeds of elderberries; another 

 the seeds and stems of mulberries, and two the seeds of raspberries or blackberries. 

 Nearly all these stomachs were collected in the mountains, away from extensive 

 orchards, but still the birds had obtained some fruit, probably cultivated. 



It is to be regretted that the stomachs of those birds killed in the 

 cherry orchards were not saved; they might have told a different 

 story. 



In Nevada, Robert Ridgway (1877) noted that in May these tan- 

 agers "were very numerous in the rich valley of the Truckee, near 

 Pyramid Lake, where they were observed to feed chiefly on the buds 

 of the grease-wood bushes (Obione confertifolia) , in company with 

 the Black-headed Grosbeak and Bullock's Oriole. * * * In September 

 they were noticed to feed extensively on the fruit of the Crataegus 

 rivularis, in company with the Red-shafted Flicker, Gairdner's 

 Woodpecker, the Cedar-bird, and the Cross-bills (Loxia americana 

 and L. leucoptera) ." 



Dawson (1923) says: "A lady in Monticito, noting the predi- 

 lection of the birds for fruit, had a wheel-like arrangement placed 

 on top of a stake driven in her lawn. Upon the end of each spoke 

 half an orange, freshly cut, was made secure. The Tanager saw and 

 appreciated; and the lady had the satisfaction of seeing as man}' as 

 twelve Tanagers feeding on the wheel at one time." 



Rathbun sent me the following note: "Aug. 15, 1922. This 

 evening shortly before sunset, we noticed one of these birds in the 

 garden. This individual was busy catching flying ants, termites 

 (Termojjsis anyusticollis) , its actions while so doing being identical 

 with those of the flycatchers. We could plainly see the bird take 

 these insects from the air, and on one occasion it ascended straight 

 upward 40 feet and captured one of the insects with the greatest 

 ease, then dropped almost vertically to the spot from which it flew. 

 During intervals of watching from its perch the tanager would re- 

 main perfectly motionless with the exception of moving its head 



