178 MOSQUITOES OF NORTH AMERICA 
hawks flying rather low at about the level of the tops of the somewhat low trees 
fringing the coast at this point, or, in other words, at a height of 25 or 30 feet. 
“ Two of these were taken and on preparing the skins were found to be exceed- 
ingly fat while the stomachs were distended with mosquitoes, apparently a small 
species of Culeaz and resembling the species that was most abundant in the 
locality. 
“The stomachs of a few warblers taken at the time were also full of mos- 
quitoes. Unfortunately I made no note of stomach contents of other specimens 
of the species taken at other times and points in the island.” 
The whip-poor-will (Antrostomus vociferus) has also been mentioned as a 
mosquito destroyer but the food of this goatsucker is known to consist largely 
of nocturnal moths. 
In an interesting letter from Doctor John B. Fort, of Athens, Georgia, dated 
February 4, 1909, the statement is made that in his opinion the most useful bird 
in the destruction of the mosquito is the chimney-swallow or American swift 
(Chetura pelagica). He states that he once examined the stomach of a newly 
killed bird of this species, and estimated more than 600 insects of the order 
Diptera in its stomach. They were nearly all mosquitoes. Doctor C. Hart 
Merriam also gives this bird first place in the list of mosquito destroyers. It 
should be noted that this bird is crepuscular in habits. 
The true swallows (Hirundinide) are often mentioned as mosquito de- 
stroyers. It is obvious that this must be so where mosquitoes are present when 
one considers their habit of feeding upon the wing and being most active in 
quest of food towards evening. Florence A. Merriam, in “ Birds of Village and 
Field,” states that the eaves- or cliff-swallow (Petrochelidon lunifrons) “ eats 
enormous quantities of winged ants, mosquitoes, injurious wheat midgets, 
spotted squash beetles, and beetles that work under the bark of trees.” Forbush 
enumerates mosquitoes as part of the food of the white-bellied swallow (Iri- 
doprocne bicolor) and the barn swallow (Hirundo erythrogastra). W. L. Mc- 
Atee gives the purple martin (Progne subis), bank swallow (Riparia riparia) 
and northern violet-green swallow (Tachycineta thalassina lepida) as mosquito 
feeders. 
The tyrant flycatchers (Tyrannide) feed mostly upon insects which they 
capture upon the wing, watching for them from some prominent perch. Mos- 
quitoes also make up part of the food of the birds of this family. Forbush 
specifies mosquitoes as part of the food of the wood pewee (Mytochanes virens), 
phoebe (Sayornis phebe) and kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus). 
Aside from the work of birds against adult mosquitoes, it is certain that 
aquatic birds must destroy many larve and eggs. Mr. Wm. Beutenmiiller, in 
the essay previously cited, is of opinion that aquatic birds could be used for the 
purpose of destroying mosquito larve, in rain-pools, ponds, and other waters 
near houses ; also in ponds in well-cleared fields and cultivated land where there 
is no extent of woods. He thinks that the management of aquatic birds under 
such conditions can be made simple, and their breeding profitable. Some years 
ago, Mr. Wilton Lockwood, of Boston, an artist, who had at that time, and per- 
haps still has, a fad for raising aquatic fowls, told one of us that in his opinion 
they are great destroyers of mosquito larve. He was particularly impressed by the 
