BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 



99 



where in more open localities were found at the highest elevations. Next to the 

 parula warbler this is the most common of the wintering warblers. 



Food. — Thirteen stomachs of the redstart were examined, taken in December, 

 January, February, and April, and in these animal food amounts to 100 per 

 cent. Small lantern flies (Fulgoridse) occur nine times and form 37.23 per cent 

 of the total. Longicorn beetles make up 0.57 per cent, snout beetles 1.5 per 

 cent, and miscellaneous species 2.54 per cent. All are classed as injurious 

 species save a single ladybird beetle, so small that it is lost in the bulk of others. 

 Moth remains amount to 11.75 per cent, while no caterpillars were eaten. 

 Hymenopteran remains (6.67 per cent) were found in five stomachs. Approxi- 

 mately two-thirds of these are small species, probably of parasitic habit. One 

 that parasitizes ants was definitely identified as a species of Kapala. Diptera 

 (39.24 per cent) were present in eight of the stomachs examined. One bird had 

 eaten a spider, and another insect eggs, both amounting to only 0.5 per cent. 



Though present only in winter, this small warbler is a bird of economic im- 

 portance. It destroys thousands of lantern flies, abundant in the trees and 

 shrubbery, as well as many beetles, moths, and flies. A very small percentage 

 of its food is taken from beneficial species of insects, the remainder being 

 entirely injurious. This bird is entirely insectivorous and does not feed upon 

 any of the abundant wild berries, a fact that increases its importance, as it 

 destroys proportionately more insects than do the more or less vegetarian resi- 

 dent species of similar habit. 



The following insects were identified in these stomachs : 



HEMIPTEEA. 



Ormcnis sp 4 



COLEOPTERA. 



Scymnus roseicollis 1 



Leptostylus sp 1 



Cryptocephalus sp 1 



Mordellistena sp 1 



Euscepes porcellus 1 



Platypus sp 1 



DIPTERA. 



Compsomyia macellaria 1 



Eristalis albiceps 1 



Sarcophaga sp 1 



HYMENOPTERA. 



Kapala sp 1 



NORTHERN YELLOW-THROAT. Geothlypis tricJias brachidactyla (Swainson). 

 Pica Tierra. 



The northern yellow-throat is of uncertain status for Porto Rico. Hartlaub 

 (1847, p. 611) includes it in his list, and Gundlach quotes this record. Stahl 

 (1883, p. 59) says that it is a rare migrant, and Gundlach (1878, p. 187) remarks 

 that it is a rare winter visitant, but does not say that he secured it. Cory 

 (1892, p. 119) lists it for Porto Rico without comment. 



WATER-THRUSH. Seiurus noveboracensis noveboracensis (Gmelin). 

 Pizpita de Mangle., Pizpita Chica. 



The water-thrush is a fairly common winter visitant in the coastal region of 

 Porto Rico, being noted at Mameyes February 9 to 29 and Cabo Rojo August 30. 

 Dr. Richmond (MS.) saw one at Arecibo April 1, 1900, and Bowdish collected one 

 on Mona Island August 18, 1901, where he found them fairly common. I saw 

 them on Culebra Island from April 6 to 19, and one was noted on Louis Pena 

 Island (Southwest Cay) April 11. In life this water-thrush can not be dis- 

 tinguished from the next subspecies described, Grinnell's water-thrush (Seiurus 

 noveboracensis notabilis), and part of the above records refer to the latter. 

 Specimens of this form were collected only on Culebra Island April 6 and 12. 



