90 



Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IV. 



5, Ground spider (Lycosidae). — The only soft-bodied insects that 

 occur in a very large number of stomachs from all localities and 

 throughout the warmer seasons are various species of Lycosid 

 spiders, which are so commonly met with on the ground in pastures 

 and near water. The larger female specimens, carrying their egg 

 sacs, appear more especially to -form an attractive morsel to the 

 Crows. The spiders are often represented in considerable numbers 

 in the stomachs, occasionally forming the greater bulk of the insect 

 food. Spiders of other families were but rarely met with in the 

 stomachs, and never in large numbers. 



6. Weevils (Rhynchophora). — Two species of weevils, Epicaerus 

 imhricatus and Phytonomus punctatus both often referred to in 

 Economic Entomology, occur abundantly in a large number of 

 stomachs. They would play a very prominent role in the food 

 supply of the Crow, but for the fact that this habit is locally restricted 

 on account of the distribution of the two species. Epicaerus imbri' 

 catus does not extend into the Northern and North-Western States, 

 and the clover weevil [Phytonomus punctatus') is a comparatively 

 recent importation from Europe, occurring from New York to Virginia 

 and gradually spreading into the North-Western States.^ Both species 

 are terrestrial during the day and hide in the ground at the base of 

 plants. Other weevils possessing similar habits are not infrequently 

 found in the stomachs, more especially various species of Spheno- 

 phorus (bill bugs of economic importance), and in less numbers 

 Tanymecus confertus, species of Sitones, Macrops^ etc. Various 

 other non-terrestrial weevils occur only occasionally, the most abund- 

 ant among them being Lixus concavus. 



7. Cutworms (larvae of Noctuidse). — Considering the enormous 

 number of cutworms that occur, especially in the spring and the 

 earlier part of summer, in pastures, dry meadows, and open fields, 

 and considering further that cutworms hide during the day at the 

 base of plants, under leaves, sticks, clods of soil, etc., in short, in 

 just such places as are preferably investigated by Crows in search of 

 food, it is remarkable that they do not constitute the largest portion 

 of the insect food. Even if we include all other Lepidopterous 

 larvae and pupse found in the stomachs, this food does not by any 

 means rank among the most prominent features. The only explana- 

 tion of this fact that occurs to me has been mentioned before, vie.t 

 that the Crows greatly prefer insects with hard bodies. Still, the 

 bulk represented by the Lepidopterous food is by no means an 



' It was never noted in Michigan prior to 1S92, and it is interesting to find that there is a 

 specimen in one of the sto-wachs (No. 15884) from that State, collected on May 8th, 1S93. 



