MASON AND LEFROY. 331 



The Ants, like the grasshoppers, are exceedingly abundant 

 insects and form a very large proportion of the insect food of birds 

 in India. They are perhaps the favourite food of the Wood- 

 peckers, Wrynecks, Rollers, and some of the Pheasants. Most 

 birds that eat insects of any kind will almost certainly be found 

 to take ants of one species or another. The following species occur 

 in this paper as taken by birds :Acantholepis fmuenfeldi var t 

 bipartita, Camponotus compressus, Catadacus taprobance, Cremas- 

 togaster subnuda, Dorylus sp., Meranoplus bicolor, Myrmecocystes 

 setipes, (Ecophylla smaragdina, Phidole malinsi, and Potyrachis 

 simplex. 



OOLEO PTER A . Beetles. 



Scarabceidce. Dung beetles. Amongst these insects are 

 included the Coprince, Aphodiince, Geotrupince and Trogince, species 

 of all of which are mentioned. They may possibly play some 

 important part in burying in the soil manure, which, without 

 their aid, would be washed away by rain or otherwise lost. This 

 appears, however, to be of somewhat doubtful importance, and 

 the whole of this family are here regarded as neutral. 



This family is an exceedingly numerous one in species and in 

 individuals, and forms a considerable proportion of the insect food 

 of birds. 



Scarabceini. Various species of Gymnop'eurus occurrec 

 Coracias indica, Corvus splendens, C. macrorhynchus, Molp 

 bengalensis, Ruticilla rufiventris, Merops vir is, M. phi^ ipp* 

 Francolinus vulgiris, Cotile s'nensis, Sarcogrammus indicus. 

 cobius vulcanus in Ftancolinus valgaris. 



Coprini.Ot the Coprids Catharsius sabius is taken b; 

 macrorhynchus, C. splendens, Molpastes bengalensis, Coracias in\ 

 Caprimulgus macrurus, Athene br ma, and Butastur teesa. V\ 

 orieiitalis by Centropus sinensis. Onitis distinctus by Sarcogran 

 indicus ; Onitis philemon by Caprimulgus macrurus which also 

 Francolinus vulgaris took Onthophagus bonasus ; other species of 

 Onthophagus by Corvus macrorhynchus, C. splendens, Crateropus 



