CALIFORNIA SHRIKE. 33 



contained in one stomach in August, is the whole story of ants in 

 the food of the violet-green. All <f the other hymenopterous food 

 consists of wasps and wild bees. In explanation of the fact that 

 this bird eats ants freely for a short time and then eats no more, 

 it may be stated that much of the time they are not obtainable. 

 It is only when the insects are on the wing while swarming that the 

 swallows can catch them, and then, being very numerous, they are 

 eaten freely. 



Beetles collectively amount to something over 11 percent of the 

 food of the violet-green. Of these nearly 3 percent are Carabidse, 

 with a few coccinellids and carrion beetles, which must be reckoned 

 as useful insects. The rest, over 8 percent, are of several families, 

 all of which are more or less harmful. Three stomachs, collected 

 at the same time in Carmel Valley, are of interest. They contained 

 respectively 42, 45, and 40 percent of scolytid or engraver-beetles. 

 This was in the region of the Monterey pine (Pinus radiata), and 

 there is no doubt that these insects prey upon those trees, and 

 probably were taken when migrating in a swarm to fresh foraging 

 grounds. A few moths, with some unidentified insects, make up 

 the remainder of the animal food, a little more than 1 percent. 



CALIFORNIA SHRIKE. 



(Lanius ludovicianus gambeli.) 



The California shrike is common in parts of the Pacific coast 

 region. At the present time fence posts and telegraph lines are the 

 vantage points from which shrikes ordinarily scan the ground for 

 prey, and in certain parts of the valley region it is unusual to glance 

 along a line of wire and not see one or more within a short distance. 

 It does not seem that trees and shrubs could ever have adequately 

 supplied the need for lookout stations which is now filled by the poles 

 and wires. 



There seems to be a mysterious sympathy between the shrike and 

 the little sparrow hawk, or perhaps their relations are inspired by 

 jealousy. The sparrow hawk also occupies the poles and wires as a 

 lookout for prey, and whenever a hawk stations himself upon one of 

 the poles, there, at no great distance, is sure to be a shrike keeping 

 close watch upon the movements of the larger bird. When the latter 

 moves the shrike follows, and seems to aim to keep the other continu- 

 ally in view. Perhaps the shrike sees in the hawk a rival and con- 

 siders that his preserves are being trespassed upon, though one would 

 think there was room enough and prey enough for both. No case of 

 actual conflict between the two has been observed — only this constant 

 and unremitting surveillance on the part of the shrike. 

 9379— No. 30—07 3 



