BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 39 



ANTILLEAN KILLDEER. Oxyechus voclferus rubidus Riley. 

 Playero, Playante, Pluvial Sabanero, Frailecillo Sabanero. 



The Antillean killdeer is a resident species, common locally in the coastal 

 region. In July, after the breeding season, it goes inland along the larger 

 streams as far as Utuado, Ciales, and other inland towns. 



In February these killdeer seemed to be paired (Mameyes), and on March 23 

 on Vieques a female taken along a small stream contained an egg nearly ready 

 for the shell. A young bird secured near Anasco June 7 had down feathers 

 still clinging to the tips of the rectrices. During the breeding season the birds 

 frequent mainly the dry open shores of lagoons near the coast, but the rest of 

 the year wander a great deal. In the sandy region north of Manati they are 

 very common and numbers frequent the citrus groves, apparently breeding 

 there. In such localities the birds are well worthy of protection while nesting, 

 because of their beneficial habits, and insectivorous birds in the orchards 

 are few. 



The birds are, as in the North, noisy and restless, and about the lagoons 

 frequently alarm other waterfowl with their loud cries. During the breeding 

 season their outcries are doubled, and in regions where they have nests or 

 young they may be seen continually flying overhead, or running along on the 

 ground, always with their loud notes, stopping to fall on their breasts with 

 outspread fluttering wings or to simulate a brooding bird covering her eggs. 

 After the breeding season many are found along the broad gravel bars of the 

 larger streams. 



Food. — Twenty stomachs of the killdeer taken in February, March, May, 

 June, and July were examined, and showed 98.34 per cent animal matter and 

 1.66 per cent vegetable. Orthoptera, beetles, flies, and snails make up the bulk 

 of the animal food, and the small percentage of vegetable matter is composed 

 mainly of seeds, with a little rubbish. 



Animal food. — The killdeer proves to be an important enemy of the mole 

 cricket. It was found in 10 stomachs and forms 14.42 per cent of the food. 

 Nymphs only appear to be eaten, as the bird can not break up the adults in 

 order to swallow them, but this in no wise lessens the value of its services. 

 Seven changas were found in one stomach, six in another, and several stomachs 

 contained three each. Other Orthoptera amounted to 2.04 per cent, and were 

 made up of miscellaneous fragments, among which were identified two small 

 crickets (Ellipes minuta). Weevil remains (3.09 per cent) were recognized in 

 four stomachs. The only one determined was a curculio (Erodiscus sp.). 

 Other beetles make 29.17 per cent, the largest single item in the dietary of this 

 bird. Water scavenger beetles (Berosus sp. and Philhydrus sp.) were found 

 eight times, and a small dung beetle (Atcenius stercorator) seven times. Dark- 

 ling beetles (Tenebrionidse) were taken by six birds, and though not of much 

 importance economically, they are of interest as showing that in Porto Rico 

 as in the southwestern United States there are a number of ground-haunting 

 forms of this family. Only one genus (Crypticus) was identified. The 

 striped flea beetle (Systena basalis), injurious to nearly all garden vegetables, 

 was found twice, and a corn leaf -eating beetle (Myochrous sp.) four times. 

 The habits of the latter species in Porto Rico are not known, but in the 

 Southern States they damage young corn by eating the leaves. Another flea 

 beetle (Haltica sp.) was found in one stomach. All of these leaf -eating beetles 

 are more or less noxious and in many cases become very injurious. Only 

 one ground beetle (Selenophorus sp.) was found, and this was the only bene- 

 ficial insect taken. 



Fly larvse occurred in seven stomachs, and comprised 19.53 per cent of the con- 

 tents. Ants form 5.59 per cent, and were found in ten stomachs. The fire ant 



