51 



effect upon this species. According to Kirkland" the common 

 garden toad also feeds upon the caterpillars. 



Birds. — A careful study of the birds in the sections of the State 

 which were infested with the caterpillars last spring would 

 undoubtedly have revealed many species not recorded here feed- 

 ing upon this insect in its various stages. Reports from careful 

 observers together with limited observations by the writer indicate 

 that the following birds feed upon this insect in some of its 

 Stages : The black-capped chickadee feeds upon the eggs proba- 

 bly chiefly during the winter when other animal food is not 

 abundant. The writer has taken the eggs from the stomachs of 

 chickadees shot during the winter in localities where tlie cater- 

 pillars were not especially abundant. The yellow-billed cuckoo, 

 Baltimore oriole, American red start, cat bird and robin feed upon 

 the caterpillars. In addition Weed" reporting the observations 

 of Miss Soule records chipping sparrows, red and white-eyed vireos, 

 cedar bird, and nut-hatches feeding upon the caterpillars ; chicka- 

 dees upon the cocoons; and robins, chipping sparrows, yellow 

 birds and English sparrows feeding upon the moths. Undoubt- 

 edly many more of our smaller birds feed upon the young cater- 

 pillars. 



Predaceous insects. — The predaceous insect enemies herein 

 recorded may be divided into two groups : The coleopterous 

 (beetles) and the hemipterous (bugs). The caterpillars fall an 

 easy prey to these enemies when crawling about upon or near the 

 ground. The following are included in the first group : Calosoina 

 scrutator Fab., and Calosoma calidum Fab., two of our largest 

 species of predaceous ground-beetles, which have frequently been 

 observed attacking caterpillars of various species. Dr. C. V. 

 Riley '^ and Mr. Wm. Saunders'"* were probably the first to record 

 them feeding upon the caterpillars of this species. 



According to Felt°= Burgess states that Calosoma wilcoxi LeC. 

 fed readily in confinement upon the caterpillars. Included in the 



="Mass. (Hatch) Agr. Exp. Sta. Bui. 46, pp. 22 and 25. 



"Bull. 64 N. H. Agr. Exp. Sta. pp. 91-92. 



'3Amer. Eut. and Bot., 2: 265. 



"^Insects Injurious to Fruits, p. 57. 



'SBull. N. Y, State Museum, No. 23, p. 196. 



