305 



October. These figure^^ result from the examination of a very large 

 series of stomachs and extensive field observations in those parts of 

 the United States where this bird is most abundant. 



Nearly half of its insect food consists of Coleoptera, of which 

 weevils, Carabids and Lamellicorns are the most important in the 

 order named. The weevils furnish 8-5 per cent, of the starling's 

 food. Nearly half (1,125) of the 2,301 adult birds examined had eaten 

 clover-leaf weevils. Hyper a punctata, and 12 had taken the larvae. 

 In every month of the year the starling is searching the grasslands and 

 weed patches for H. punctata, and the high percentages revealed in 

 January and February would seem to indicate that this pest hibernates 

 in far greater numbers than has been conunonly believed. Another 

 weevil eaten in considerable numbers is the lesser clover-leaf weevil. 

 Hypera {Phytonomiis) nigrirostris. The clover-root weevil, Sifones 

 hispidulus, is also a favourite article of diet ; while the closely-related 

 5. flavescens is preyed upon to a less extent. Other species found 

 were Otiorrhynchus ovatus, 0. sidcatus, Barypeithes pelhicidus, Spheno- 

 phorus spp. — a group of which S. parvulus (blue-grass billbug) was 

 the most frequently taken — and Phyxelis rigidns. It is evident that 

 the starling is a very effective enemy of weevil pests of grass or forage 

 crops, and it may be said to be the most effective bird enemy of 

 Hypera punctata in the United States. 



Carabids constitute 5-71 per cent, of the starling's food. By far 

 the greater part of the members of this family eaten by the starling 

 are more or less vegetarian in their habits, notably species of the genera 

 Harpalus and Anisodactyliis. While it must be admitted that some 

 useful species of Carabids are consumed, only a small number are 

 decidedly beneficial ones. 



The Lamellicorns follow the weevils and Carabids in the quantity 

 of food furnished, 2-24 per cent, coming from this source. The bulk 

 of this figure is represented by 11 species of Lachnosterna {Phyllophaga), 

 the May beetle adults of the notorious white grubs. Both adults 

 and larvae are eaten, the former more frequently. The starling also 

 feeds on the recently imported Japanese beetle, Popillia japonica. 

 Staphylinids, Chrysomelids, Elaterids, Tenebrionids, and other beetles 

 were taken in varying numbers. Some species of economic impor- 

 tance include Drasterius elegans, Agriotes mancits, Colaspis brunnea, 

 and Leptinotarsa decemlineata. The starling's destruction of Cole- 

 optera is overwhelmingly in its favour. 



Orthoptera constitute 12-41 per cent, of the annual food, and during 

 October and November the starling secures practically all its insect 

 food from members of this order, Tettigoniids and Gryllids predominat- 

 ing. Among the grasshoppers eaten were Mclanoplus fcmur-rubrum 

 (red-legged locust) and Chortophagaviridifasciata (green-striped locust). 



Lepidoptera, mainly caterpillars, are chiefly attractive to nesthngs, 

 forming 38-21 per cent, of the food of young starlings and occurring 

 in 274 of the 325 stomachs examined. Most of the caterpillars are 

 cutworms. In the stomachs of adults, Lepidoptera constituted 

 6-04 per cent, of the yearly food. May and June are the months of 

 greatest consumption, when such food represents 13-97 and 20-56 per 

 cent, of the total. The army-worm [Cirph.is nnipuncta), the cabbage 

 butterfly {Pieris rapae), and the American tent caterpillar {Malaco- 

 soma americana) are among the other Lepidoptera taken. 



Of the other orders of insects, the Hymenoptera are best repre- 

 sented. Rhynchota form only an unimportant part (less than 1 per 

 cent.) of the food. 



