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



boll weevil, in 4 stomachs; the rice weevil, and two species of en- 

 graver beetle. Among the beetles other than weevils were a num- 

 ber of species of the group commonly known as flea beetles. Some of 

 these are very destructive to garden vegetables and the leaves of 

 fruit trees. ' 



Ants were eaten in every month, but rather irregularly. In July 

 they amount to 35.5 per cent and in September to 22.89 per cent, 

 which together are about four-fifths of this kind of food for the 

 whole season. The total for the year is 11.99 per cent. Other Hy- 

 menoptera (18.91 per cent) are eateii regularly and abundantly in 

 every month. They contain the usual admixture of parasitic species, 

 which being abundant are always to be found. 



Hemiptera constitute 14.9 per cent of the food and are eaten regu- 

 larly from May to September. Xone were found in stomachs taken 

 in April, and more than four-fifths of them were taken in August 

 and September. Ten different families are represented, but stink- 

 bugs, tree hoppers, leaf hoppers, and negro bugs were the most 

 numerous. All of these are more or less harmful. 



Diptera are the favorite food of the rough-wing, as they are of 

 most other swallows. They amount to 32.89 per cent, a record that 

 is exceeded only by the tree and barn swallows. They were found 

 in 93 stomachs, 9 of which were entirely filled with them. Flies are 

 such soft-bodied creatures that it is not easy to determine species 

 from the remains found in the stomachs. Five families, however, 

 were identified. In 5 stomachs were recognized members of the 

 f amity Tachinidse, composed of parasitic species that live in and 

 destroy caterpillars or other insects, and therefore are useful. Of 

 the remaining four, one family is of no importance, and the others are 

 harmful or at least annoying. 



Lepicloptera are eaten sparingly by the rough-wing. The total 

 for the year is 1.11 per cent. All were contained in 5 stomachs, 1 of 

 which was* taken in April, 2 in May, and 2 in September. Three of 

 the 5 contained moths, and 2 caterpillars. 



Orthoptera are represented in the food of the rough-wing by the 

 fragments of one grasshopper found in a stomach taken in Arkansas 

 on July 5. This made up 16 per cent of the contents of the stomach 

 (0.12 per cent of the food of the year). 



Insects belonging to other orders are taken occasionally by the 

 birds. Of these, clragonflies were found in 3 stomachs and May flies 

 in 5. In 5 other stomachs was material so finely mashed as to defy 

 identification beyond the fact that it had once been insects. • Frag- 

 ments of spiders were found in 6 stomachs and a snail in 1. Alto- 

 gether they amount to 5.04 per cent and close the account of animal 

 food. 



