﻿4 BULLETIIsT 1355, V. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTTJEE 



Although the number of stomachs examined was smah, it is possible 

 to check the results by comparison with those obtained by Wetmore, 

 who analyzed the contents of 84 stomachs of the typical subspecies 

 from Porto Rico. His findings ^ show that the bird is decidedly 

 frugivorous, inasmuch as wild fruits or berries were detected in 80 of 

 the 84 stomachs examined and amounted to 57.82 per cent. The 

 remaining 42.18 per cent represented animal matter, of which all but 

 0.61 per cent was composed of insects or spiders, this small item being 

 made up of two little tree toads (Eleutherodactylus) . As in the case 

 of the Florida birds, spiders made up one of the larger items, occurring 

 in 30 stomachs and comprising 7.74 per cent of the bulk. Orthop- 

 teroid insects, consisting of grasshoppers (Locustidae) in three 

 stomachs, walking sticks (Phasmidae) in two, praying mantids 

 (Mantidae) in three, and miscellaneous orthopterans in nine, formed 

 together 6.34 per cent. Cicadas, a lantern ^j, and some small 

 homopterans amounted to 8.29 per cent. Caterpillars were eaten 

 by 21 birds and made a total of 9.7 per cent, the largest item of animal 

 food. Weevils and leaf beetles, including the sugar-cane root borer 

 and coffee-lea,f weevil, occurred in more than a third of the stomachs, 

 forming a total of 5.37 per cent. The remainder of the animal food 

 was composed of ladybeetles (0.42 per cent), miscellaneous beetles 

 (0.64 per cent), hymenopterans, including a wasp and an ant (2.03 

 per cent), flies (0.21 per cent), and earwigs, which were detected six 

 times (0.83 per cent). 



SUMMARY 



It is evident from both the Florida and the Porto' Rico accounts 

 that there is little actual harm done by the black- whiskered vireo, 

 and that it is entitled to encouragement. The spiders and some of 

 the beetles eaten may be considered beneficial, but the caterpillars, 

 weevils, and earwigs are certainly injurious. The bugs are about 

 equally divided between injurious and beneficial forms, and the 

 remaining items are either too small to be of importance or are 

 neutral in their economic aspects. 



RED-EYED VIREO 



Vireosylva olivacea 



The red-eyed vireo (fig. 1) is probably the most abundant of the 

 members of its family. In the United States its range is restricted in 

 general to the territory east of the Rocky Mountains; in Canada, it is 

 practically transcontinental, with Great Slave Lake in the Mac- 

 kenzie region approximately its northern limit. In migration the 

 red-eye is reported as far south as Brazil. 



During the summer months in almost any bit of woodland one 

 may find this olive-colored bird going about its business of catching 

 insects, or later selecting the berries of many of our native shrubs, 

 and singing as if it were second nature to be cheerful. Even at noon, 

 when most of the feathered tribe seek the cool shade, this little 

 fellow continues its song and its search for food. 



» Wetmore, Alexander, Birds of Porto Rico. U. S. Dept. Agr. Bui. No. 326, pp. 97-98, 1916. 



