28 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHEKS. 



ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. 



( Myiarchus cinerascens . ) 



The ash- throated flycatcher occupies the western part of the United 

 States from the Pacific Ocean as far east as Texas and Colorado 

 and as far north as Washington and Utah. Like the kingbirds, it is 

 a bird of the open parklike country, and is particularly partial to the 

 vicinity of abandoned ranches, in the buildings of which it is pleased 

 to build its nest, while it forages in the orchard and about the deserted 

 garden and cattle yards. Normally it builds in natural cavities in 

 trees and in the abandoned holes of woodpeckers. 



For the determination of the character of this bird's food only 91 

 stomachs were available, taken in the months from April to Decem- 

 ber, inclusive. So few, spread over so long a time, can give only a 

 tentative idea of the food. In the first analysis the food divides itself 

 into 92.32 per cent of animal matter to 7.68 of vegetable. Of the 

 animal portion all but a few spiders is made up of insects, strictly 

 speaking. Some fruits and seeds compose the vegetable part. 



Animal food. — The ash-throat is one of the lesser beetle eaters among 

 the flycatchers. Beetles aggregate only 7.26 per cent of the food, and 

 of these 2.1 5 per cent can be considered as of useful species. These last 

 consist of predaceous ground beetles (Carabidse), found in 3 stomachs, 

 and a ladybird (Coccinellidn?) in 1. The bird evidently does not 

 hunt for these insects, or it would find more of them. Other beetles 

 belonging to 7 different families were found in 60 stomachs, or two- 

 thirds of the whole number. This raises the quesl ion as to the crite- 

 rion for the palatablenesa of any article of food — the frequency with 

 which the bird takes it or the amount eaten. Hymenoptera amount 

 to 26.94 per cent and are the largest item of animal food. Wild bees 

 and wasps make up the bulk of this item, with a few of the parasitic 

 species. No honeybees were found. That Hymenoptera are a 

 favorite food is shown by the quantity raten and by the facts that 

 they were found in 55 stomachs and that they were well distributed 

 over the season. 



Hemiptera (bugs) amount to 20.11 per cent, which is the highest 

 record for this item among the flycatchers now considered. Among 

 them were many of those queer beechnut-shaped little bugs com- 

 monly known as buffalo tree hoppers (Membracidae) . These creatures 

 are as agile as fleas, and would seem to be too nimble to bo taken by 

 most species of birds, but the ash-throat is evidently very successful 

 in catching them, as they were found in 23 stomachs, while the slug- 

 gish stinkbugs (PentatomidaB) were in only 13. Cicadas were found 

 in 13 stomachs, jumping plant lice (Psyllida?) in 7, leaf hoppers (Jas- 

 S&dffi) in 7, shield bugs (Scutelleridrp) in 1, assassinbugs (Reduviidie) 

 in 1, and negro bugs (Corimelsenidae) in 1. They were all tuken in 



