16 The Regulative Action of Birds upon Insect Oscillations. 



/S u m m a r y of the F a m, i I y • 



The nine flycatchers taken had eaten only insects, of which 

 nearly half were Coleoptera, and the remainder were about 

 equally distributed between the Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, and 

 Diptera. Canker-worms make fifteen per cent, of the whole, and 

 Anoniala hinotata seventeen per cent. The Scarabjeidas include 

 all but ten per cent, of the Coleoptera. 



CUCULID^E. Cuckoos. 



COOCYZUS EBYTHROPHTHALMUS, Wils. BlAOK-BILLED CuCKOO. 



Three-fourths of the food of a single specimen shot consisted 

 of canker-worms, other caterpillars making an additional twenty 

 per cent. Anoniala hinotata was the only remaining element. 



PIC1DJ5. Woodpeckers. 



Melanebpes erythkocephalus, L. Red-headed Woodpecker. 



This bird was abundant in the orchard, evidently nesting in the 

 trees, although but four specimens were shot. Two of these had 

 eaten corn, which amounted to twenty per cent, of the food. 

 Fifteen per cent, was canker-worms, and twenty-four per cent. 

 Carabidae (eaten by two of the birds), including Calosoma, Scar- 

 ites, and several Harpalids. Twenty-nine per cent, of Scarabsei- 

 dae embraced a Canthon and some specimens of Anoniala hino- 

 tata. Melanotus and other spring-beetles were also eaten by two 

 of the birds. 



COLAPTES AURATUS, L. FLICKER. 



A single specimen, killed in 1881, had fed only on ants, the 

 usual aliment of the bird. 



COLUMBIDtE. Doves and Pigeons. 



Zenaidura carolinensis, L. Mourning Dove. • 



Several mourning doves were seen, and a single specimen was 

 taken. Three-fourths of the food of this was corn, and the 

 remainder the seeds of some leguminous plant. 



