y8 SMITHSONIAN MISCELLANEOUS COLLECTIONS VOL. 85 



they do when disturbed, they " resemble the excrement of certain 

 caterpillars so closely as to render their detection difficult .... and 

 it is said that birds will not pick them up." (Blatchley, Coleoptera 

 of Indiana, p. 1,114, 1910.) Two genera represent this tribe in our 

 fauna and of these, Chlaniys has been found 56 times in bird stomachs 

 and Exema 17 times; 10 of the latter beetles were contained in a 

 single stomach of a Bewick's wren. The number of determinations 

 cited, in view of the few species we have of this tribe, fully satisfies 

 the probabilities. 



The genus Diabrofica, chiefly yellow and black species, has received 

 special attention from the standpoint of protective adaptations. " I 

 believe," says C. J. Gahan, " that the species of Diabrotica are pro- 

 tected, and that the species of Lema derive advantage by mimicking 

 them." (Trans. Ent. Soc. London, 1891, p. 369.) The tabulations 

 of bird food here discussed show 41 records of Diabrotica vittafa 

 distributed among 17 species of birds; 107 of D. 12-punctata for 42 

 species of birds (18 specimens being found in a stomach of a cliff 

 swallow) ; and 194 records of D. soror for 22 kinds of birds (a 

 black-headed grosbeak had eaten 21 of these beetles). There are also 

 34 other records for scattering and unidentified species of the genus. 

 Thus there is no evidence of special protection for Diabrotica; as for 

 Lema the species are much less numerous in individuals, and that is 

 the real reason they are captured less frequently by birds ; we have 

 22 identifications shared by 14 species of birds. 



One other Chrysomelid, the Colorado potato beetle {Leptiiwtarsa 

 lO-lineata) , has had its protective adaptations pointed out on numerous 

 occasions, and like the rose chafer, among the Scarabaeidae, seems to 

 be actually poisonous. (See Riley, Seventh Missouri Rep., 1875, 

 pp. 6-7.) However, our records show that 23 species of birds devour 

 the insect and 11 others are added by the literature of the subject. 

 One hundred and eighteen identifications of this pest are included in 

 our tabulations ; the larger number of specimens found in single 

 stomachs are 8 in that of a starling, ro in a sharp-tailed grouse, 

 12 in a black-headed grosljeak, and 14 in a rose-breasted grosbeak. 

 Birds such as the bob-white, crow, and rose-breasted grosbeak are 

 recorded as having cleared fields of these pests. 



Before leaving the Phytophaga or Chrysomelidae it may be well to 

 cite certain records of large numbers of individuals being taken at a 

 meal by birds, since they show not only-that there is no restriction of 

 bird attack to certain tribes of the family but also that there is no 

 restriction of the more important avian ])redators to certain groups 

 of birds. Some of the larger records arc : 36 specimens of Micro- 



