SPECIES. 107 



larvae, 19 percent; beetles, 11 percent, including Carabidee, Ceramby- 

 cidt^, Tenebrionid^, Elaterida? [Drasterius) ^ Scarab?eid?e {AjjJtodius)^ 

 Rhynchophora, and Chrysonielid^ {Systenaelongata^ etc.); bugs (true 

 bugs — including Myodocha serripes — and a few leaf-hoppers), 9 per- 

 ( ent; ants, 8 percent; Maj-flies, 2 percent; miscellaneous insects, 2 

 percent; spiders, 21 percent; and snails, 1 percent. 



The winter wren {Olbiorchilus hiertmUs) was observed hunting for 

 insects and spiders in brush piles, but no stomachs were collected. 



The long-billed marsh wren {CistotJwrus j^cdAistris) ^ though like the 

 house wren it eats nothing but insects, can not be expected to help 

 crops because of the remoteness of its marsh}^ habitat. Five birds 

 were collected. Spiders and beetles ( Calandra oryza^ Donacia^ Hippo- 

 damia macidata) formed the major part of their food. The minor 

 part was composed of true bugs, leaf -hoppers, flies, parasitic wasps, 

 and ants. 



One Carolina wren {Thryothorus litdovicianits) was collected. It 

 had eaten caterpillars, grasshoppers, and beetles (longicorns and 

 leaf-beetles, including Odontota dorscdis). 



CREEPERS AND NUTHATCHES. 



The brown creeper ( Certhia familiaris americana) plays a useful 

 part in ridding tree trunks of insect vermin. One stomach was taken. 

 It contained such beetles as IIelop>s ^reus and Bruchics liibisci^ saw- 

 flies, flying ants, spiders, and seeds of the scrub pine. 



Two other beneficent gleaners of tree-trunk insects are the nut- 

 hatches {Sitta carolinensis and Sltta canadensis). Both w^ere observed 

 at Marshall Hall, but no specimens were collected. Prof. E. Dwight 

 Sanderson has shown that the white-bellied nuthatch feeds on both 

 seeds and insects. He found it eating ragweed and sunflower seeds, 

 corn, and a very small amount of mast. His observations show it 

 to be very fond of bugs and their eggs, and that it selects most often 

 such Tingitid^ as Piesma cinerea^ Reduviidae, Coreida?, and Jassidae. 

 Its beetle food includes Carabid^, Elateridae, Scarabaeid^e, and 

 Buprestid^e. Ants (Myrmicid{e)are taken in large numbers. It also 

 catches some parasitic wasps (Braconidpe) and frequently secures 

 stone-flies, dragon-flies, and true flies." 



TITMICE. 



One tufted titmouse {Parus Mcolor) was collected July 9, 1898. It 

 had eaten several blueberries, a longicorn beetle, and a large cutworm. 



Seven Carolina chickadees {Parus carolinensis) were taken during 

 Februar}^ April, July, and August. Vegetable matter — mulberry 

 seeds, pine seeds, and ragweed seeds— was present in four stomachs. 

 All the birds had eaten insects. One had eaten 1 bee (Andrenidae), 2 



«Auk, Vol. XV, pp. 144-148, 1898. 



