110 BULLETIN 326, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



ing head down from a twig above and pulling and nibbling at the inside of the 

 fruit. Other undamaged fruit in the same tree was not touched even after the 

 one that was already open was removed. There is some complaint among fruit 

 growers that this species pricks and destroys oranges but though much time was 

 spent in the groves nothing of this kind was seen, the nearest approach to it 

 being when fully ripe fruit had been opened by other agents, then the honey 

 creepers visited it for the juice. Those seen in citrus groves were invariably 

 feeding on insects. 



Food. — Because of the complaints made by many people against these birds 

 much time was devoted to watching them, and a considerable number were col- 

 lected. One hundred and forty-nine stomachs were examined, and in these 

 animal matter amounted to 97.56 per cent and vegetable to 2.44 per cent. These 

 birds were collected on Porto Rico, Vieques, and Culebra, in the months from 

 December to August, inclusive. The vegetable matter consisted of seeds in six 

 stomachs (in one case of Chenopodium sp.) and of vegetable fiber in three others, 

 so that in no case did it have any particular significance. The stomach itself 

 is very small in proportion to the size of the bird, appearing merely as a knot 

 at the juncture of the esophagus and intestine. The birds undoubtedly feed 

 to a great extent upon nectar and other sweets, but just how large a portion of 

 their nutriment is secured from this source can not be determined. However, 

 each stomach, small as it was, was usually filled with animal matter, and from 

 it can be determined the economic status of the species. Lantern flies (Ful- 

 gorida?) appeared in 33 instances and amount to 14.52 per cent. In two cases 

 they form the entire bulk of the stomach contents, and large percentages occur 

 in several. Only one other bug was identified in this series of stomachs. Leaf 

 beetles, among which were several flea beetles, amount to 2.11 per cent, and 

 longicorn beetles to 0.35 per cent. Ladybird beetles were found in 10 stomachs 

 and constitute 1.S7 per cent. They were the only beneficial beetles eaten. 

 Weevils are well represented, coffee leaf-weevils, found 10 times, coming to 1.79 

 per cent. Curculios and billbugs comprise 0.8 per cent, engraver beetles 1.55 per 

 cent, and a few miscellaneous weevils 0.47 per cent. Beetle remains other than 

 those mentioned above figure as 2.89 per cent. 



In no less than 96 stomachs were bits of caterpillars, while one other contained 

 a pupa and a moth. These form 37.56 per cent, the largest item in the food of 

 the bird. Nearly all the caterpillars were small and very young. They form 

 much of the food through all of the months represented, the maximum, 46.42 

 per cent, being contained in a collection of 36 stomachs secured in March. Re- 

 mains of flies were encountered in 13 stomachs and come to 1.26 per cent, and 

 ants in 17 birds amount to 1.28 per cent. Bits of other Hymentoptera (4.65 per 

 cent) were found in 16 stomachs. They come mainly from the small parasitic 

 groups, though a few from other families are represented. Spiders, nearly all 

 young ones, and therefore indeterminate as to genus and species, were eaten by 

 82 of these birds and a pseudoscorpion by one. These comprise 25.89 per cent of 

 the bulk. Miscellaneous matter (0.58 per cent) includes a snail and some insect 

 eggs. An interesting result in these examinations was the finding in three 

 stomachs of Thysanoptera, which were in two instances definitely identified 

 (Ommatothrips n. sp.). These are insects of great economic importance in 

 many cases, and birds eating them perform good service. They are so small and 

 so fragile that they would be rapidly digested and eliminated from a stomach. 



One-third of the food of the honey creeper, as shown in the discussion above, 

 is composed of beneficial insects, more than .25 per cent being spiders, some of 

 which may be of doubtful value. Passing over the 2.44 per cent of vegetable 

 matter, the remainder is composed entirely of harmful species. Lantern flies 

 injurious to nearly all kinds of vegetation, several kinds of weevils, and large 



