FLYCATCHER FAMILY. 43 
which prefer moths, but is quite in accordance with the general rule 
among insectivorous birds. Special interest attaches to this item 
of the bird’s food from the fact that larve of the codling moth were 
found in 3 stomachs. In one 15 were counted, which amounted to 
89 percent of the food. In another they were too badly broken to 
be counted, but formed 55 percent of the contents. In the third 
only 1 was found, amounting to 3 percent. Evidently these 
insects were hibernating in a crevice in the bark of a tree or some 
similar place, and were there discovered by the flycatcher. 
A few unidentified insects and some spiders make up the remainder 
of the animal food—about 6 percent. Spiders were found in 19 
cases—in 1 stomach amounting to 70 percent—and these, with 
the caterpillars, particularly the codling-moth larve, show that a 
considerable percentage of the food of this bird is not caught on the 
wing. 
The following is a list of insects identified from the stomachs of 
the western flycatcher: 
COLEOPTERA. 
Aleochara bimaculata. Gastroidea cyanea. 
Hippodamia ambigua. Diabrotica soror. 
Hippodamia convergens. Monozia sordida. 
Coccinella californica. Epitriz sp. 
Scymnus sp. Eulabis rufipes. 
Telephorus divisus. Blapstinus ruficeps. 
Aphodius sp. Deporaus glastinus. 
Limonius infuscatus. Balaninus sp. 
DIPTERA. 
Stratiomyia maculosa. 
LEPIDOPTERA. 
Carpocapsa pomonella. 
Vegetable food.—Vegetable matter was found in 16 stomachs, 
though some of it could not properly be called food. One stomach 
contained seeds of Rubus fruit (blackberries or raspberries) ; 7, 
seeds of elderberries; 1, the skin of an unidentified fruit and a 
seed of tarweed (Madia); while 6 held rubbish. The Rubus fruit 
might have been cultivated, but probably was not. 
Food of young.—Among the stomachs whose contents have been 
discussed were those of 15 nestlings, varying in age from 48 hours to 
2 weeks, which show no marked differences from those of adults. 
Only 2 of these stomachs contained any vegetable matter; in 1 
was 15 percent of rubbish; in the other 3 percent. Gravelstones 
were found in several cases, and have been observed in the young 
of other insectivorous birds, even when not found in adults of the 
same species. 
