336 THE FOOD OP BIRDS IN INDIA. 



and Liopicus mahrattensis in several instances Sphenoptera gossypi* 

 was found to have been taken by Francolinus vulgar is. 



Tenebrionidce. As a class we regard the Tenebrionidce as 

 neutral, most feeding on dead leaves and other vegetable matter. 

 One or two species are, however, now regarded as injurious. This 

 family of beetles is an extremely numerous one, in individuals 

 rather than species, and forms an appreciable proportion of the 

 insects taken by birds for food. Probably any species of bird 

 that takes insects for food takes these insects. 



Himatismus sp. is taken by Geocicla citrina, Turnix tanki, 

 (Edicnemus scolopax, and very largely by Francolinus vulgaris, 

 Scleron denticolle by Mgialitis dubia ; S. orientale by Crateropus 

 canorus, Molpastes bengalensis, Dicrurus ater, Siphia albicilia, 

 Cyanecula suecica, Copsychus saularis, Motacilla alba, Calandrela 

 dukhunensis, Francolinus vulgaris and Sypheotis bengalensis. 



Opatrum depressum, an injurious species, by Upupa indica, 

 Centropus sinensis, Francolinus vulgaris, Sypheotis bengalensis, 

 and Sarcogrammus indicus. Opatrum elongatum by Geocicla 

 citrina; Penthicus sp. by Molpastes bengalensis, Acridotheres tristis 

 and Francolinus vulgaris ; Derosphcerus rugicollis by Brachypter- 

 nus aurantius, Coracias indica, Amaurornis phcenicurus and 

 Sypheotis bengalensis. Other Opatrum spp. and other Tenebrioni- 

 dce are also recorded from nearly all the abovementioned species 

 of birds with the addition of Corvus splendens. Dendrocitta rufa, 

 Mgithina tiphia, Orthotomus sutorius. Tephrodornis pondic.rianus, 

 Acridotheres ginginnianus, Sturnopastor contra, Hierococcyx varius, 

 Taccocua leschenaulti, Totanus glareola and T. ocfiropus. 



Mesomorpha villiger is probably taken by nearly all these 

 birds though at present only recorded from 12 species. 



Tenebrionidce do not appear to form the main food of any one 

 species of bird. Copsychus saularis, however, feeds at times 

 largely on them and Himatismus forms a considerable proportion 

 of the insect food of Francolinus vulgaris* 



