80 Cincinnati Society of Natural History. 



A NEW BIRD ENEMY 



By Dr. Wm. C. Herman, M. D. 



While photographing a nest containing three young cardi- 

 nals (Cardinalis cardinalis) three or four days old, an unusual 

 incident was observed. This nest was in a clump of blackberry 

 bushes about three feet high. My camera was set up and 

 focused, my object being to secure a photograph of the parent 

 birds feeding their nestlings. After making several exposures 

 of the male bird feeding the young with grasshoppers, the 

 parent birds became somewhat shy, the female not approaching 

 at all. For this reason I left the vicinity of the nest for about 

 fifteen minutes. When, on my return, to my great amazement, 

 I discovered- that a large green beetle called the caterpillar 

 hunter (Calosoma scrutator, Fab.) was attacking the nestlings. 

 This beetle had lacerated the tender throat of two of the 

 defenseless birds, and was sucking the blood. Both of the 

 birds were killed in exactly the same manner. I attempted to 

 capture the marauder, but it escaped, emitting a nauseating 

 odor. The birds were still warm when I examined them. 

 The parent birds were not in sight when the insect destroyed 

 their young. It is very unusual for this beetle to attack youtig 

 birds, and to my knowledge has not been observed before. 



21 East Seventh St., Cincinnati, Ohio. 



.S8 



