492 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY. 
In the laboratory investigation of the food of the western fly- 
catcher 141 stomachs were examined. They were collected from 
March to October inclusive, and probably give a fair idea of the 
bird’s food for these months. Analysis gives 99.28 percent of animal 
food to 0.72 percent of vegetable; in other words, there was less than 
three-fourths of 1 percent of vegetable matter. Only one other 
flycatcher, the western wood pewee, eats so little vegetable food. 
Animal food.—In this analysis a separate account was kept of 
the ladybird beetles (Coccinellide). This bird appears to eat more 
of them than does any other flycatcher, but the number for the 
whole season is not large enough to be very serious. The greatest 
consumption occurred in August, a little more than 7 percent. The 
average for the season is 2} percent. Other beetles amount to 
nearly 6 percent, nearly all harmful, the exception being a few 
ground beetles (Carabide). 
Hymenoptera form the largest constituent of the food of this as 
of most other flycatchers. They amount to over 38 percent, and are 
an important item during every month of the bird’s stay on its sum- 
mer range. The highest percentage is in March, 61; but as only 
3 stomachs were taken in that month, the record can not be con- 
sidered as final. June shows 52 percent, and is probably nearer the 
true maximum, although August and September do not fall much 
below. Ants were found in 14 stomachs, and parasitic Hymenoptera 
in but 2. Hymenoptera in general were found in 99 stomachs, and 
6 contained nothing else. No honeybees were identified. 
Hemiptera (bugs) amount to nearly 9 percent of the food. They 
were found in 49 stomachs, 2 of which were entirely filled with them. 
The greatest number were taken in August, when they constituted 
29 percent. The following families were identified: 
Stink-bug family (Pentatomide). Leafhopper family (Jasside). 
Chinch-bug family (Lygeide). Tree-hopper family (Membracide). 
Leaf-bug family (Capside). 
Diptera amount to a little more than 31 percent of the whole food. 
They rank next to Hymenoptera, and, like those insects, are taken 
very regularly during every month of the bird’s stay in the State. 
While October is the month of maximum consumption, 47 percent, 
several other months are but little below. Only 3 families were 
identified: The crane flies (Tipulidae), the soldier flies (Stratiomyiide), 
and the house flies (Muscida). 
Lepidoptera, in the shape of moths and caterpillars, amount to 
about 7 percent for the year, and were found in every month except 
March. They appeared in 36 stomachs, of which only 7 contained 
the adult insects—moths—and 29 the larve or caterpillars. This 
taste is in contrast with that of the black phoebe and the wood pewee, 
