MASON AND LBFROY. 341 



Cossidce. These insects are injurious to trees of various 

 kinds and are probably taken by most of the borer-eating Wood- 

 peckers. Tiga javanicus is said to take the larvae of Duomitus 

 cemmicus. 



Bombycidce. 'Important since the silk-worm of the mul- 

 berry belongs to this family. They are otherwise possibly 

 injurious, being defoliators. Ocinara varians is taken occa- 

 sionally by Sturnia mcCabarica, Oriolus kundoo, and Coccystes 

 jacobinus. 



Pyralidce. A large family containing many well-known major 

 pests to crops, fabrics, &c. The cane pests, Chilo simplex, Anerastia 

 sp., Polyocha have not been seen to be taken by any bird, whilst 

 Scirpophaga auriflua, another cane pest, has been noted to be 

 taken occasionally by the King-Crow. AncycolomiachrysograpJiella, 

 the Rice Caterpillar, is taken by Dendrocitta rufa, Acridotheres tristis, 

 Merops viridis and almost certainly by common Fly-catchers (Si- 

 phia albicilia) and Wagtails. Pachyzancla coclesalis? recorded as 

 taken by Sturnia malabarica. Other Pyralids taken to some ex- 

 tent by Phylloscopus fuscatus, Oriolus kundoo, Pratincola caprata, 

 Tephrodornis pondicerianus, Calandrella dukhunensis, in addition 

 to the birds mentioned above. 



Lepidoptera also contain many pests, of which Gelechia, 

 Plutella, Anacampsis, Anarsia, and Phthorimcea are well known. 

 Phthorimcea operculella is recorded as taken by Passer domesticus. 



Laspeyresia jaculatrix is taken by the common crows, and no 

 doubt most insectivorous birds feed on these small moths and the 

 Pyralids. The remains of these small moths are extremely diffi- 

 cult to identify in any birds stomach and it is in most cases impos- 

 sible to do so. 



DIPTERA. Though flies almost certainly form a large percent 

 tage of the food of many species of birds, we have few records 

 or references to their being taken. 



Culicidce. Mosquitoes have not been found in any bird, but 

 are said to be taken by Terpsiphone parasidi, Ripidura spp., Anthus 



