^°8g^^l '^^'SiiE.Ksos, Food of A''it///(i/c//cs (///ci Chii ktidces. \A'l 



Hemiptera, largely Piesnia dneria, were the most important in- 

 sects in the first series ; with Goleoptera next. These two orders 

 made up the bulk of insect food during this period with the ex- 

 ception of a single stomach which contained some 25 Myrmicida,-. 

 During the second period, Hymenoptera were found in considera- 

 ble numbers, all being beneficial, and with about equal parts of 

 Perlidai and Goleoptera constituted the greater part of the insect 

 food. 



In the latter period there seemed to be a tendency to take 

 larger insects, as evidenced by several good sized moths, which 

 of course would lessen the number of individuals. Though the 

 number of the insect forms eaten by the Nuthatches is compara- 

 tively small to that of those eaten by the Chickadees, yet it is no 

 doubt due to the fact that their insect food is much more rapidly 

 digested by the aid of the gravel, than in the Chickadees, which 

 have none. 



The following list gives in detail the insect matter found in the 

 individual stomachs : Numbers i, 7 and 8 were collected on Jan. 

 19 ; 9, 10, II and 14 on Feb. 2 ; 20 on Feb. 10 ; 21, 22, 23, 24, 

 25 and 26, on Feb. 16; 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 and 35 on Feb. 

 20; 43 on Feb. 22 ; 41 on Feb. 24. (It will be noticed that the 

 numbers are not consecutive.) 44 to 52 inclusive on April 10; 

 56 and 57 on Apr. 17. Only those partially or completely iden- 

 tified are listed, while the totals include the whole contents. 



List of Insects Fou7id in jy Stomachs of the White-bellied Nuthatch. 



Hymenoptei-a : Evaniidpe, i in No. 45 ; Braconidse, 6 in Nos. 46, 

 47, and ^S; Tenthredinida;, i in No. 47; Formicidce — Myrmica sp.' — 

 25 in No. 22. Winter, 27 adults; spring, 14 adults. Total Hjmenoptera 

 — 51 adults in 7 stomachs. 



Lepidoptera : Tineidte — Bucculatrix ?,^1 — i pupa in No. 22. Winter, 



1 pupa; spring, 4 adults . Total Lepidoptera — adults, 4; pupre : i, in 5 

 stomachs. 



Diptera : Muscidje, 2 in No. 7; Syrphida^, i in No. 49. Winter, 



2 adults ; spring, 4 adults. Total Diptera, 6 adults in 4 stomachs. 

 Goleoptera: Carabida?, 3 in Nos. 56 and 42 — Harpalus sp.' — 4 in 



Nos. 7 and S; — Pterostichns sp.^ — 2 in No. 32; Elateridte, i larva in 

 No. 7; Buprestidre, i adult in No. 41; Scarabidoe, i adult in No. 48. 

 Winter, 17 adults, 22 larvK ; spring, 12 adults. Total Goleoptera — 

 adults, 29; larvce, 22; in 25 stomachs. 



