116 BULLETIN 17 9, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM 



abbreviatus) , mosquito {Culex taeniorhynchus) , and red-legged lo- 

 cust {Caloptenus femur-ruhrum) , besides large numbers of beetles." 



As may be seen from the above analyses, the food habits of the 

 crested flycatcher are almost wholly beneficial ; the harm done by the 

 taking of a few predatory insects is far offset by the long list of inju- 

 rious species that it destroys. It should be encouraged to live and 

 increase its numbers in our orchards and gardens by leaving natural 

 cavities in otherwise worthless trees and by putting up boxes for 

 nesting places. 



Although most of the insects named above are probably taken on 

 the wing in true flycatcher fashion, some of its food is secured in 

 other ways. Early in the season, before the trees are in full leafage, 

 much of the flycatcher's food is taken on or near the ground, or from 

 crevices in the bark of trees, or from crannies in rail fences or fence 

 posts. Dr. Dickey (MS.) says: "When food is scarce, during a season 

 of drought, cold, or unusual rainfall, crested flycatchers will visit 

 haystacks, crannies of log barns, and even open doors of hay lofts, to 

 obtain stray insect life that harbors in such nooks. Again it will 

 deign to pass to the bases of clumps of saplings, stir a mass of leaves 

 or a spider web, and obtain some choice tidbit." 



Francis H. Allen tells me that he observed "two feeding among 

 the foliage of trees and shrubs, flitting about much as vireos would, 

 and not at all in characteristic flycatcher fashion." He "saw them 

 pick insects off the leaves when hovering before them, like kinglets." 



Dr. Gabrielson (1915) writes of its hunting methods: 



The greatest variety of food was secured in true flycatcher fashion, i. e., by 

 watching for passing insects and darting after them from the chosen i)erch. 



* * * Some of these if not captured in the first dash, were not pursued 

 further, but others, notably butterflies and moths, were followed until se- 

 cured. * • • 



The second method was somewhat different, although the insects were still 

 taken while the flycatchers were on the wing. This method was to hang on 

 rapidly beating wings before a leaf or branch and pick the insects from it. 



* * * 



The third method was a variation of the first. The Great Crests sat on a 

 low branch until they saw an insect in the grass, when they would drop to the 

 ground and secure it. * * * When they missed the insect, they never hopped 

 or ran along the ground, but rose into the air and dove down into the grass 

 again. One watched catching a grasshopper near the foot of the nest tree 

 went through this performance several times before the prey was finally secured. 



Behavior. — In a general way the behavior of the crested flycatcher 

 is much like that of the eastern kingbird; in its erratic dashes after 

 prey it is distinctly like other flycatchers, and its hovering flight 

 on rapidly vibrating wings reminds us of the kingbird; its flight is 

 swift, as it must be to secure such lively insects as dragonflies ; when 



