CRESTED FLYCATCHER. 25 



species. The month of maximum consumption of beetles is June 

 with 25.81 per cent. After this they gradually decrease, but main- 

 tain a fair percentage through the season. Representatives of 12 

 different families were identified. 



Hymenoptera amount to 13.69 per cent; more than 3 per cent less 

 than the beetle food. Only one other flycatcher under investigation, 

 the scissortail, eats more beetles than wasps and bees. Some of the 

 useful parasitic species are included in tins item, but the proportion 

 is not large. Sawflies in the larval form were found in 6 stomachs 

 and were the entire contents of 1. These are destructive insects. 

 One worker honeybee was found, which was the only indication that 

 the bird ever preys upon the occupants of the hive. May appears to 

 be the month of maximum consumption of Hymenoptera, but every 

 month shows a good percentage. Diptera (flies) amount to only 3.06 

 per cent, and while they are eaten to some extent in every month the 

 amount is small, and the maximum, which occurs in July, is only 

 6.32 per cent — another illustration of the fact that flycatchers catch 

 more of other insects than of flies. No species of special interest were 

 noted, except one robber fly (Asilidse), which can be taken as an 

 offset to the honeybee. Horseflies (Tabanidse) were noted in 14 

 stomachs, which would seem to indicate that they are the favorites 

 among Diptera. Hemiptera (bugs) constitute 14.26 per cent of the 

 diet. They belong to the usual families of stinkbugs, tree hoppers, 

 leaf hoppers, and cicadas, with a few assassin bugs. The cicadas were 

 more than usually abundant, being found in 8 stomachs, and in 1 

 they were the entire food. Stinkbugs (Pentatomidse) were found in 44 

 stomachs, and 1 was entirely filled with them. These highly flavored 

 insects are often eaten by birds, but usually only a small quantity is 

 found in each stomach. Orthoptera, i. e., grasshoppers, crickets, and 

 katydids, seem to be one of the favorite foods of the crested fly- 

 catcher. They were found in 45 stomachs and constituted the 

 only food in 3. Beginning with 8.64 per cent in April the con- 

 sumption steadily increases to September, when it is 23.18 per cent, 

 though August is but a trifle less. The average of all the months 

 is 15.62 per cent. Only 2 flycatchers have a greater record of grass- 

 hoppers than this. 



Lepidoptera (moths and their larvae) are the largest item of the 

 food. Caterpillars were found in 73 stomachs and the adults, as 

 moths, in 48. This last is a somewhat unusual showing, as adult 

 moths and butterflies are not a favorite food with birds in general. 

 It is evident that the larvae — i. e., caterpillars, are generally pre- 

 ferred to the adult insects, but the fact that the adults can fly and 

 so can be taken on the wing apparently recommends them to birds 

 that take their food in the manner of flycatchers. The aggregate 

 of this food for the year is 21.38 per cent, a somewhat larger showing 

 than that of any other of the flycatchers under consideration. Two 

 41895°— Bui. 44—12 4 



