No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 189 



oue. Datana ministra, an apple tree pest, was recognized in 

 1 stomach. 



More of the birds had taken beetles than had eaten cater- 

 pillars; but the beetles formed a smaller average percentage 

 of the food. Fourteen had taken Elaterids (commonly 

 known as snap beetles) or their larva? (wire worms), which 

 formed 10,92 per cent of their stomach contents. The larvce 

 of this beetle, the wire worm, is well know^n to agricul- 

 turists as a destructive enemy to grain and garden crops, 

 but many native birds eat it. The Carabidte, or ground bee- 

 .tles, were represented in 42 stomachs. While these beetles 

 are generally regarded as useful insects, they have been 

 known to become injurious where they have increased abnor- 

 mally, therefore their destruction cannot be set down to 

 the discredit of the starling. The genus Calosoma is repre- 

 sented in 1 stomach. This genus is believed to contain 

 only beneficial insects. One bird had taken some Lampy- 

 rids. Three had taken the Leptinotarsa decenilineata, or 

 Colorado potato beetle, which formed 16.67 per cent of the 

 stomach contents. If the starling acquires the habit of eat- 

 ing Colorado potato beetles it may prove useful in this re- 

 spect. Only few native birds eat them. Eleven starlings 

 had taken a few scaraba?id beetles, which formed on the aver- 

 age 8.54 per cent of the stomach contents. Weevils were 

 represented in 28 stomachs, and constituted 7.07 per cent 

 of their stomach contents. Beetles of the genus Laclinos- 

 terna, commonly called May beetles, or their larvae, com- 

 monly known as white grubs, were represented in lo 

 stomachs, and comprised 14.53 per cent of their contents. 

 These beetles are very destructive, as the white grub feeds on 

 the tubers and roots of plants. This genus is one of the well- 

 known enemies of grass and garden crops, but many of our 

 native birds feed upon all forms of the insect. Two birds 

 had taken chrysomelid beetles, which feed on the foliage of 

 trees. The notorious elm-leaf beetle is a member of this 

 group, but they formed only 2 per cent of the stomach con- 

 tents of these two birds. 



