30 FOOD HABITS OF THE GROSBEAKS. 
Neither parasitic Hymenoptera nor predaceous beetles were found 
in the stomachs examined, a showing much to the bird’s credit. Only 
one useful insect had been eaten, it belonging to the queer neurop- 
teroid genus J/antispa, the members of which are rare. They are 
predaceous when adult and when young are parasitic in the egg-sacs 
of spiders. 
The remainder of the animal food is composed of injurious species, 
among which are important pests. Beetles constitute 4.66 percent 
of the food, weevils alone being 3.42. Of greatest interest among the 
latter is the cotton-boll weevil (.luthonomus grandis, fig. 19), the 
most serious agricultural pest of recent years. While the gray gros- 
beak does not feed upon it regularly, nevertheless the habit of picking 
it up when occasion offers is highly commendable. Among other 
weevils eaten are additional species of curculionids and scarred snout- 
beetles, including the same silvery-green and golden species (Comp- 
sus auricephalus) 
eaten by the cardi- 
nal. 
Leaf beetles 
(Chrysomelide) 
probably are next 
in importance. The 
parrot-bill is sharp- 
eyed enough to find 
a species (Chlamys 
plicata) of this 
family that is noted 
for the perfection 
of its protective de- 
vices. This little 
beetle is curiously sculptured and has furrows in which all the appen- 
dages fold, and, being bronzy in color, its resemblance to the drop- 
pings of caterpillars is almost perfect. The CAlamys sometimes feeds 
upon raspberry leaves, but has never been found very injurious. 
Nevertheless, it is entirely vegetarian, like all the other beetles of 
the family, species of which, even if not at present positively injuri- 
ous, are liable to become so at any time. The parrot-bill should re- 
ceive nothing but praise for its destruction of leaf-beetles. 
Bronzy wood-borers (Buprestide) and long-horned beetles 
(Cerambycide), both of which are destructive to forest and orchard 
trees, also were found in stomachs of this species. 
Beetles, as a whole, are exceeded in amount by caterpillars, the 
latter constituting 10.32 percent of the diet. One of the species 
identified, namely, the cotton worm (Alabama argillacea, fig. 20), 
has long been known as a great pest throughout the Southern States, 
Fig. 19.—Cotton-boll weevil (Anthonomus grandis). (From 
Howard, Bureau of Entomology.) 
