361 



THE FLORA AND FAUNA OF NUYTS ARCHIPELAGO AND THE 

 INVESTIGATOR GROUP. 



No. 12— STOMACH CONTENTS OF PEARSON ISLAND BIRDS. 



By Arthur M. Lea, F.E.S., Museum Entomologist. 

 (Contribution from the South Australian Museum.) 



[Read October 11, 1923.] 



This paper deals with the stomach contents of a few birds obtained on 

 Pearson Island and commented upon by Prof. J. B. Cleland in No. 9 of this 

 series (ante, p. 119). Only the technical names of the birds are given here. 

 For the names of parts of plants we are indebted to Mr. J. M. Black. 



Chalcites basalis, Horsf. Crammed with small hairy caterpillars; one lady- 

 bird beetle, Coccinella transver sails. 



Hirundo neoxena, Gould. Small fly, Muscidae ; bits of many minute flies ; 

 bits of small flying ants; beach weevil, Aphela helopoides; many other minute 

 fragments of insects. 



Petroica goodenovii, V. & H. (1) Large caterpillar, probably Hepialidae; 

 sand beetle, Cestrinus aspersus. (2) Forceps of two earwigs, Anisolabis australis; 

 bits of two beach weevils, Decilaiis sp. ; bit of leaf -eating beetle, Tomyris sp. ; 

 bits of small spider ; fine grit. 



Pachycephala pectoralis, Lath. (1) Crammed with fragments of thin plant 

 weevil, Belus brunneus ; nine heads of this destructive species were counted. 

 (2) Three small moths; eight small caterpillars; small ant, Pheidole sp. ; small 

 jumping spider, Attidae; many minute fragments of insects. 



Ephthianura albifrons, J. & S. (1) Bits of small destructive weevil, 

 Desiantha maculata; bits of two small tenebrion beetles, Micrectyche sp. ; head 

 of small flying ant ; other minute fragments of insects ; numerous fruiting 

 perianths of Threlkeldia diffusa. (2) Bits of larval grasshopper, Coryphistes 

 obscurohrunneus ; bits of small weevil, Desiantha m-aculata; bits of two tenebrion 

 beetles, Micrectyche sp. ; head of minute beetle ; numerous fruiting perianths of 

 Threlkeldia diffusa. 



Zosterops lateralis, Lath. (1) Bits of small dipterous flies; bits of small 

 plant bug, Pentatomidae ; twenty fruiting perianths of Threlkeldia diffusa, one 

 of Enchylaena tomentosa, and one of globular fruit, probably of an Eremophila. 

 (2) Three small caterpillars; two larger ones; two larval membracid bugs; 

 head of small clavicorn beetle; a few unidentified fragments; numerous fruiting 

 perianths of T. diffusa. (3) Crammed with small yellow flies and fragments of 

 others. 



Corvus coronoides, V. & H. Seven caterpillars ; bits of large larval grass- 

 hopper, Coryphistes obscurobrimneus; bones probably of small lizard; fruiting 

 perianth of Threlkeldia diffusa. 



