[30] BEPOBT UNITED STATES ENTOMOLOGICAL COMMISSION. 



Plectrophanes ornatus, Towns. 



Cliestnut-collared Bunting ; Black-bellied Longspur. 



Abundant in Nebraska, where it breeds. I have seen the young in June, July, and 

 August, and it therefore must rear several broods in a season. This is one of the birds 

 that might almost be classed as insectivorous. I have rarely killed one that I did not 

 find some insects in its stomach. The following examples show its tendency to vary 

 its seed diet with locusts : 



1 



LocaUty. 



• Date. 



^ a 



i 



1 



2 



5 

 6 





May 27, 1865 

 May 30, 1865 

 .. I.. do 



10 

 15 

 IT 

 12 

 13 

 16 



Indefinite. 



do. 



do. 



do. 



do. 



do. 



Dakota County, Nebraska 



do 



do 



June 10, 1865 



June 14, 1815 



...do ... 



do 



do 







Plectrophanes maccowni, Lawr. 



Maccoivn's Bunting. 



A few found in Nebraska. In August, 1874, I shot two on the Republican River, 

 near Orleans. One of the two had 10 locusts and a beetle in its stomach. 



PO(ECETES GRAMINEUS, (Gm.) Bd. 



Bay-icinged Bunting ; Grass FincJi. 



Abundant only in certain localities in Nebraska. It frequently varies its food with 

 insect diet. The following examinations were made: 



Locality. 



Harlan County, K"ebrasta 



do 



Lancaster County, Ifebraska 



do 



do 



Date. 



Aug.— ,1874 



do 



Sept.-, 1874 

 June 1, 1875 

 June 13,lo75 



Seeds. 



...do. 

 . ... do. 

 ...do. 

 ....do. 



COTURNICULUS PASSERINUS, (Wils.) Bp. 



Yellow-winged Sparrow. 



Abundant in Nebraska, and breeds here. Of seven specimens that I examined in 

 June, 1875, and June, 1877, four had from 10 to 20 locusts in their stomachs and the 

 remainder only a few beetles and seeds. 



COTURNICULUS HENSLOWI, (Aud.) Bp. 



Hensloiv^s Bunting. 



I have only occasionally met with this bird in Nebraska, and the only specimen that 

 I examined was one that was sent to me from Kearney Junction to identify, in Septem- 

 ber, 1874. It had 13 locusts in its stomach, besides a large quantity of seeds and a few 

 beetles. 



Melospiza lincolnI; (Aud.) Bd. 



Lincoln's Sparrow. 



Great numbers pass through Nebraska in spring and fall, or during its migrations. 

 I have seen the most in the latter part of September and October. The single oi^e that 

 I examined in September, 1874, shot in Lancaster County, had 11 locusts, 3 beetles, 

 and a large number of seeds in its stomach. 



