INSECTS IMPALED BY THE LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 23 
tles (Buprestide), with the adult beetles of wire worms, weevils, and 
some allies of the May beetle. There are also eaten some of the harm- 
less species closely related to this last group of beetles, as for instance 
the little dung beetles (Aphodius) and the large green-and-gold tumble- 
bug (Phanceus carnifex). Darkling (Tenebrionide) aud carrion beetles 
(Stlphide) are frequently caught, and the latter insects have been found 
stuck upon a barbed-wire fence. 
The insect food of the loggerhead, like that of the butcherbird 
includes about 11 percent of caterpillars, wasps, and spiders. In the 
stomach of one bird was the abdomen of a large wasp with its sting 
stik attached. That the loggerhead is given to catching large insects 
is shown by the fact that one stomach was distended with a large grass- 
hopper (Schistocerca americana), another contained a mole cricket, and 
a third was filled with an enormous saw fly (Urocerus). This last wasp- 
like insect does much damage by puncturing trees, thus making an 
opening for wood-boring insects. 
Loggerheads relish caterpillars; they destroy canker worms (Geome- 
tride), cut worms (Noctuide), aud even bristly caterpillars (Arctiidae) ; 
but as far as this investigation goes they have not been known to take 
adult Lepidoptera, dlthough Bachman says he has seen them seize but- 
terflies and moths on the wing. To complete the items of the inverte- 
brate food there should be added crane flies, ants, dragon flies, May 
flies, thousand-legs, snails, and cray fish. These, though occasionally 
eaten, never form any significant percentage of the food. 
To this account of the loggerhead shrike are added the following field 
notes kindly written for this paper by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the U.S. 
Department of Agriculture: 
Insects impaled by Lanius ludovicianus excubitorides in southwestern Texas. 
From April 24, 1896, the date of my arrival at San Diego, Duval County, Tex., up 
to May 21, I do not remember having seen any impaled insects. During this time 
the weather was extremely dry, but quite a number of large-sized insects abounded. 
On May 21 a copious rainfall occurred and brought out myriads of specimens of the 
Scarabeid genus Canthon (tumble bugs). These seem to be greatly relished by the 
shrikes, and large numbers of specimens could now be seen impaled every day. 
Other species of impaled insects observed at the time were Pasimachus, Dicwlus, and 
a single Hymenopter (Glis). No impaled grasshoppers were seen at this season. 
The shrubs more especially selected by the birds are Celtis pallida and Prosopis 
juliflora, dead shrubs being preferred to living ones. 
However, the number of impaled insects in early summer is small 1n comparison 
with that seen toward the end of October. Impaled grasshoppers abound now, but 
there 1s no lack of other terrestrial insects, especially Carabide. Some soft-bodied 
insects are also among them, notably various terrestrial spiders and larve of Cara- 
bidous Coleoptera. Finally, there are numerous lizards and horned toads. It was 
also then noticed for the first time thatthe barbs of wire fences are used for impaling 
insects. 
Most of the impaled specimens are never eaten by the birds, and remain for many 
weeks on the thorns. It would seem that the bird has acquired the habit of 
impaling insects without having the intention of eating them. 
