INSECTS IMPALED BY THE LOGGERHEAD SHRIKE. 23 



ties {Bu2)restid(e), with the adult beetles of wire worms, weevils, and 

 some allies of the May beetle. There are also eaten some of the harm- 

 less species closely related to this last group of beetles, as for instance 

 the little dung beetles {Aphodius) and the large green- and- gold tumble- 

 bug {Phanceus carnifex). Darkling [Tenebrionidw) and carrion beetles 

 ( Silphidce) are frequently caught, and the latter insects have been found 

 stuck upon a barbed- wire fence. 



The insect food of the loggerhead, like that of the butcherbird 

 includes about 11 percent of caterpillars, wasps, and spiders. In the 

 stomach of one bird was the abdomen of a large wasp with its sting 

 8t\\i attached. That the loggerhead is given to catching large insects 

 is shown by the fact that one stomach was distended with a large grass- 

 hopper {ScMstocerca americana), another contained a jnole cricket, and 

 a third was filled with an enornious saw fly ( Urocerus). This last wasp- 

 like insect does much damage by puncturing trees, thus making an 

 opening for wood-boring insects. 



Loggerheads lelish caterpillars; they destroy canker worms {Geome- 

 tridce), cut worms (Noctuidce), and even bristly caterpillars (ArcMidce); 

 but as far as this investigation goes they have not been known to take 

 adult Lepidoptera, although Bachman says he has seen them seize but- 

 terflies and moths ou the wing. To comj)lete the items of the inverte- 

 brate food there should be added crane flies, ants, dragon flies, May 

 flies, thousand-legs, snails, and cray fish. These, though occasionally 

 eaten, never form any significant percentage of the food. 



To this account of the loggerhead shrike are added the following field 

 notes kindly written for this paper by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, of the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture : 



Insects impaled iij Lanius ludovicianiis excuhitorides in southwestern Texas. 



From April 24, 1896, the date of my arrival at San Diego, Duval County, Tex., up 

 to May 21, I do not remember having seen any impaled insects. During this time 

 the weather was extremely dry, but cxuite a number of large-sized insects abounded. 

 On May 21 a copious rainfall occurred and brought out myriads of specimens of the 

 Scarabfeid genus Canthon (tumble bugs). These seem to be greatly relished by the 

 shrikes, and large numbers of specimens could novs- be seen impaled every day. 

 Other species of impaled insects observed at the time were Pasimachus, Diccelus, and 

 a single Hymenopter (Glis). No impaled grasshoppers were seen at this season. 



The shrubs more especially selected by the birds are Celtis pallida and Prosopis 

 jitUflora, dead shrubs being preferred to living ones. 



However, the number of impaled insects in early summer is small m comparison 

 with that seen toward the end of October. Impaled grasshoppers abound now, but 

 there is no lack of other terrestrial insects, especially Carabidae. Some soft-bodied 

 insects are also among them, notably various terrestrial spiders and larvae of Cara- 

 bidous Coleoptera. Finally, there are numerous lizards and homed toads. It was 

 also then noticed for the first time that the barbs of wire fences are used for impaling 

 insects. 



Most of the impaled specimens are never eaten by the birds, and remain for many 

 weeks on the thorns. It would seem that the bird has acquired the habit of 

 impaling insects without having the intention of eating them. 



