FOOD OF SOME WELL-KNOWN BIEDS. 33 



also eaten, it is probable that many of the ants are of species that 

 take care of plant lice. The other members of this order are rapid 

 fliers and are probably mostly taken on the wing. Diptera (flies) 

 were eaten to the extent of 16.42 per cent, which is a large record for 

 any bird except a swallow or flycatcher. Ijike the Hymenoptera, 

 most of them must have been taken on the wing in mid-air. Mem- 

 bers of two families were identified: Muscidse, the family of the 

 common housefly, and crane flies or daddy longlegs (Tipulidse). 

 Most of the Diptera were of the smaller species, commonly known as 

 gnats, which fly in swarms and are rather sluggish. Hemiptera 

 (bugs) collectively amount to 19.61 per cent, of which a little more 

 than 4 per cent are scales and plant lice. The black olive scale 

 {Saissetia oJew) and the greedy scale (Aspidiotus rapax) were found 

 in 15 stomachs. Plant lice were contained in 39 stomachs and from 

 their numbers would apjDear to be a favorite food. Several stomachs 

 were entirely filled Avith them, and the stomachs in which they Avere 

 found contained an average of 71 per cent in each. The remainder 

 of the hemipterous food, over 15 per cent, is made up of stinkbugs, 

 leafhoppers, and tree-hoppers, with some unidentified remains. 



Caterpillars form a small but rather regular article of diet Avith 

 the Audubon warbler. They amount to 14.22 per cent, though this 

 figure includes a few adult moths and a few chrysalides. Beetles 

 of all kinds aggregate 6.70 per cent and, except a few carrion and 

 ladybird beetles, are of injurious species. Snout beetles, or weevils, 

 Avere the most important. A few other insects and some spiders, 

 in all 1.60 per cent, make up the rest of the animal food. 



Vegetable food. — The vegetable food of the Audubon warbler 

 consists of fruit, weed seed, and a few miscellaneous substances. 

 As the bird does not A-isit the fruit-groAving regions during the fruit 

 season, it can not injure cultivated crops. Most of the fruit it eats 

 is Avild and of no value, though in the fall it probably feeds to some 

 extent upon the belated products of the orchard. The total of fruit 

 eaten is less than 5 per cent, most of Avhich is taken in fall and early 

 winter. The largest item of A-egetable diet, however, is weed seed. 

 This is eaten to the extent of 9.16 per cent of the food and is taken 

 in nearly CA^ery month, but especially in Avinter. One of the most 

 important seeds eaten by the Audubon Avarbler is that of the poison 

 oak {Rhus diversiloha) . Usually this bird does not eat the Avhole 

 seed, but only the waxy outer coating, and hence does not materially 

 aid in the distribution of these noxious plants. In addition to the 

 foregoing, rubbish to the extent of 2 per cent Avas found. 



Summary. — Evidently this bird is a valuable asset in the garden 

 and orchard. The great bulk of its food, both animal and vegetable, 

 is composed of elements whose destruction is a benefit to the 

 farmer.— F. E. L. B. 



506 



