MASON AND LEFROY. 157 



Stomachs examined contd. 



21 Opatrum sp. 



Other Coleopterous remains. 



2 Oymnopleurus cyaneus (? 2). 

 28-6-08 7 Chrotogonus sp. 



9 Camponotus compressua. 



3 Small Coleop. elytra. 



1 Lnwana conspersa. 

 28-6-08. 3 Grasshoppers. 



2 Schizodactylus monstrosus. 

 2 Myrmecocystus setipes. 



1 Small ant, Phidolef 

 1 Trox indicua. 



1 Leg of large Coprid. (Catharsius sabceutl) 

 12-10-07. 6 Chrotogonus sp. 



4 Onthophagus spinifer. 

 Other legs unidentifiable. 



2 Remains of frogs. 

 30-10-07. 4 Remains of grasshoppers. 



4 Myrmecocystus setipes. 

 1 Opatrum depressum. 

 9 Jaws and other remains of insects. 

 31-10-08. 1 Acridium ceruginosum. 

 1 Ehynchium sp. 

 1 Opatrum sp. 

 1 Tenebrionid. 

 9 Melolonthid larvae (?) jaws. 



Summary. Of 412 insects taken by 18 birds, 4 are beneficial, 

 111 injurious, and 297 neutral. Three birds took beneficial insects, 

 17 injurious, and 18 neutral. Of the injurious insects taken 52 

 are grasshoppers, 18 crickets, and 23 caterpillars mostly cutworms. 

 We can see then that the good done by the destruction of these 

 injurious insects far more than counterbalances the fact that some 

 beneficial insects were taken. One bird took a spider and another 

 two frogs. 



Notes. This bird is widely distributed throughout India. It 

 is very commonly seen along most Indian railways, being parti- 

 cularly fond of perching on telegraph wires. Its food, which 

 consists almost exclusively of insects, is obtained nearly always 

 on the ground. The Blue Jay chooses some exposed bough of a 

 tree, often a dead one, or some such exposed post from which it 

 can watch for insects on the ground, and when it sees an insect 

 floats down to the ground silently and slowly, captures the insect, 



