8 BULLETIN 619, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



The snout beetles, or weevils (Rhynchophora), are the most inter- 

 esting insects eaten. They were taken nearly every month in fair 

 quantities, but in September they constituted over 50 per cent of the 

 food. This record, however, is probably due to the fact that special 

 pains were taken during this month to collect birds ii\ a locality 

 specially infested by one species of weevil. In order to ascertain 

 to what extent birds were preying upon the cotton boll weevil (An- 

 thonomus grandis) 35 stomachs of the eaves swallow were collected 

 in September in the vicinity of cotton fields in Texas. Every one 

 of these stomachs contained boll weevils, and several contained 

 other species also. Of the boll weevils 687 individuals were counted, 

 an average of over 19 to each stomach, and it is probable that more 

 were really present but being badly broken up could not be recognized. 

 Let it be noted that these are not selected stomachs, but embrace 

 every one of this species taken at that time and place. One of these 

 contained 48 weevils, another 42, two contained 38 each, and three 

 others 37, 35, and 33, respectively. Two stomachs taken at another 

 time in Mississippi revealed 11 of these weevils. From the above 

 facts it is evident that these birds were taking every one of these 

 insects that came in their way and probably were making a special 

 hunt for them. 



The eaves swallow is particularly gregarious and lives in colonies 

 that sometimes contain several hundred individuals. The writer 

 has seen a colony of 80 nests, and larger ones have been observed. 

 It is thus evident that such a colony in the near vicinity of an in- 

 fested cotton field would have a very decided effect in restraining 

 the increase of this pest. As the weevils are taken when in flight, 

 it follows that migration to other fields would be largely prevented. 

 Besides the boll weevils, 15 other species of snout beetles were eaten. 

 All are harmful insects and liable at any time by some change in 

 environment to become pests. The alfalfa weevil (Phytonomus pos- 

 ticus) was found in 11 stomachs taken in Utah. This is a recently 

 imported pest and is doing much damage in the far West. Two 

 species of weevils, Sitona ftavescens and Sphenophorus parvulus, the 

 one doing great damage to clover and the other feeding upon grass 

 and grain, were found in several stomachs. The rice weevil (Cal- 

 andra oryza), which does not confine its diet to rice, had been eaten 

 by 5 birds. 



Besides the weevils, a number of other beetles more or less harm- 

 ful were eaten, 113 species being identified in the stomachs. 



Hymenoptera exclusive of ants (8.24 per cent) amount to 20.51 

 per cent. Ants, mostly the winged forms, were eaten in every month 

 except March. The month of greatest consumption (nearly 20 per 

 cent) was September. Other Hymenoptera eaten are mostly wild 

 bees and wasps, with some parasitic species. The remains of 35 honey 



