Pomona Com.kije Joirnal ok Kntomoux.y hoo 



■ami (iiie of tliesc pruhahly n-latcs to thf captiii-f of a very n-criitly fmcrjjrd 

 spwiiiK'ii, or to one torn from the pupa iM-fort" fiiitTjtenct', as it was afcuiii- 

 panifd l)y a pupa of tlu' saiiif species." Whether Initterrties are too aetivc 

 to he eaufiht. whether they are too dry, or whether they have a disa^reeahle 

 taste, are questions still awaiting solution. In tiie investination of an out- 

 lireak of hutterHies (Eugouin ciilifoniica) in northern California during the 

 summer of litll, it was found that Mrewer hlaekhirds were feeding on this 

 hutterll.V to a eonsiderahle extent, and that the western iiieadowlark, western 

 kinjrhird, blue-fronted jay. and Say phoehe oeeasionally took one of the 

 insects. 



The following,' de|)eiidal)le observation made hy .Mr. .lohn (J. Tyii-r of 

 Fresno, California, also furnishes evidence of tiic fact that butterflies are 

 occasionally, at least, destroyed by birds: "■ While strolling aion^ the road 

 ea.st of this city the writer noticed a field of alfalfa that was infested with 

 yellow butterflies. A nearer approach revealed the presence of .several 

 moadowlarks, and I was so fortunate as to see one of tlie.se birds seize a 

 butterfly and make away witii it. I am not prepared to sjiy that the victim 

 was actually swallowed, but it was certainly captured and killed." During 

 tiip i>ast summer the writer saw Hnglish sparrows tr.vintr to catcli cabliai;e 

 liutterMies (I'ontia sp.) which were abumlant in a K'lrden near Los Manos, 

 .Merced County. One bird was actually seen to ca|)ture a butterfly. 



Another interesting find was the larva of the morning cloak butterfly 

 ( En rati rasa antiopa). This larva is one of the most hairy of our caterpillars. 

 Other siiuiU hairy catcr])illars have also been found in the stonuichs. ISotli 

 the larva and the pupa of the sphin.x moth have been found. 



Thus we see that l)irds althoUj^h having a preference for certain articles 

 of diet, do (iccasionally pick up certain other forms of life wliicli we have 

 often considered to be entirely protected by stings, hairs, or no.xious secre- 

 tions. We have still much to learn of the food-habits of binls. The actual 

 part which they play in the interaction of organisms is a problem of im- 

 portance. The economic value of the western meailowlark does not depend 

 so largely on the fact that it destroys only injurious insects, as that it destroys 

 insects. The various proportions taken pri>bably represent availability rather 

 than preference. 



