[18] REPORT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Family TROGLODYTID^ : Wrens. 



Salpinctes ob^letus, (Say) Cab. 



Bock Wren. 



Frequent in Nebraska. On June 3, 1865, found a nest near Dakota City, Nebr., 

 in an old slab pile. June 10 I watched the parents from a few feet distant for an 

 hour, and during this time among other insects they brought 32 small locusts to their 

 young. In June, 1875, also found a nest in an old stump on Salt Creek, and observed 

 the parents feed their young with small locusts. I also learned from Hon. J. Sterling 

 Morton that he often saw them eat locusts. 



Thryothorus ludovicianus, (Lath.) Bp. 



Gi^eat Carolina Wren. 



Only saw it once in. Nebraska. This was in Richardson County, Nebraska, June 12, 

 1875. One of the parents had a locusfc in its bill, probably for its young, but I hunted 

 in vain for its nest in the thick wood. This is the most southeasterly county in the 

 State. 



Thryothorus bewicki, (Aud.) Bp. 



BeivicJc's Wren. 



Found one nest of this species near the Missouri River, in Otoe County. This was 

 June 12, 1875. The parents here were also feeding their young with small locusts, but 

 I did not, from lack of time, ascertain how many they brought in an hour. 



Troglodytes aedon, Yieill. 



House Wren. 



This species is abundant in Nebraska. I have watched the parents feeding their young 

 in a great number of instances in Northern and Southern Nebraska and in Western 

 Iowa during locust years, and always found them bringing a great number of small 

 locusts to their nests. This was especially noticeable during the early part of the sea- 

 son. I have rarely observed a house wren capture a full-grown locust, but why I 

 have not ascertained. 



Troglodytes aedon parkmanni, (Aud.) Coues. 

 Westei^n House Wren. 



This wren, like the preceding, is abundant in Nebraska, aud like it feeds its young 

 on young locusts. This I have observed it to do in many instances. 



Anorthura troglodytes hyemalis, (Vieill.) Coues. 



Water Wren. 



Only occasionally met with in Nebraska. I have never found its nest, but I exam- 

 ined a dead one in June, 1875, which had been killed near Lincoln. It had 13 small 

 locusts in its craw. 



Telmatodytes palustris, (Wils.) Bd. 



Long-hilled Marsh Wren. 



Only occasionally met with in the marshes along the Missouri. In June, 1875, 1 found 

 a nest on the edge of a marsh near Bellevue on the Burlington and Missouri River 

 Railroad. Watching the nest I found the parents bringing young locusts, but not see- 

 ing any of these insects near the marsh, I was at first puzzled to know where they ob- 

 tained them. Watching them more closely with my field-glass, I soon observed them 

 to fly to the dry bluffs an eighth of a mile distant, and bring back small locusts. This 

 seemed to me all the more curious as there was an abundance of small insects closer 

 at hand. In one hour they brought 31 locusts to their nest. 



Cistothorus stellaris, (Licht.) Cab. 

 Short-billed Marsh Wren. 

 Found only one nest of this bird in 1867 in a swamp or marsh in Dixon County, Ne- 

 braska, in the Missouri Bottom. Did not ascertain whether it fed on locusts, and only 

 suspect that it does from the habits of its congeners. It is only occasionally met with 

 . in Nebraska. 



Family ALAUDID^ : Larks. 



Eremophila alpestris, (Forst.) Boie. 



Horned Lark ; Shore Lark. 



Some seasons quite abundant in Eastern Nebraska. Saw them picking up locusts in 

 Dakota County, Nebraska, in the early part of June, 1865. On the 20th of May, 1875, 



