ASH-THROATED FLYCATCHER. 



29 



the 5 months from April to August, inclusive, and the average per 

 month, if those 5 alone be considered, is 36.19 per cent. 



Diptera (flies) amount to 12.83 per cent of the food, and were 

 eaten in every month except August and September, but this excep- 

 tion is probably accidental. Those identified belong to the house-fly 

 family (Muscidse), the Syrphidse (Eristdlis tenax), and the robber 

 flies (Asilidse). These last were found in 2 stomachs only. Alto- 

 gether Diptera were found in 24 stomachs. Lepidoptera (moths 

 and their larvae) were eaten in all the months but 3 (August, Septem- 

 ber, and October), but this is probably only accidental. A greater 

 number of stomachs might show a regular consumption throughout 

 the season. They amount to 17.11 per cent of the seasonal diet and 

 were found in 29 stomachs. Of these, 22 contained caterpillars and 

 7 moths. No special pest was identified. 



Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) were eaten in the 4 months, 

 April to July, and a few in December. The total is only 5.14 per 

 cent, and the maximum, 18.07 per cent, occurs in July. Raphidians, 

 dragon flies, and spiders together make 2.93 per cent, the balance of 

 the animal food. The first-named are queer, long-necked, grotesque- 

 looking creatures found in this country only in the far West. They 

 are carnivorous in their habits and are said to prey upon the codling 

 moth. In any event, they do not appear to be numerous in this 

 country at present, and the only specimens the writer ever collected 

 were in the stomachs of birds. The ash- throat appears to eat more 

 of them than any bird yet examined, as they were found in 10 stom- 

 achs. One stomach contained 5, and in all there were 16 individuals. 

 Dragon flies were found in 6 stomachs, about the usual proportion 

 for a flycatcher, and spiders in 17, a rather large showing for such 

 sedentary creatures. 



Vegetable food. — The vegetable food of the ash-throat may all be 

 summed up in two words, fruit and seeds. Elderberries (Sambucus) 

 were found in 5 stomachs, cissus in 1, black nightshade (Solanum) 

 in 1, fruit not identified in 2, and seeds unknown in 3. 



Food of nestlings. — Besides the examination of the stomachs of the 

 ash-throated flycatcher some observations were made on the feeding 

 of nestlings. A nest of 4 young, about a week old when first observed, 

 was watched in hour periods for several days, and the results are 

 given in tabular form below. 



Date. 



First and last feeding during 

 hour. 



Number 

 of feed- 

 ings. 



Date. 



First and last feeding during 

 hour. 



Number 

 of feed- 

 ings. 



1900. 



June 18 



22 



22 



26 



12.59 p.m.— 1.45 p. m 



10.48 a. m.— 11.39 a. m 



2.07 p. m. — 3.07 p. m 



2.13 p.m.— 3.11 p. m 



5.56 p. m.— 6.21 p. m. (half 

 hour). 



9 



14 

 9 



18 



7 



1906. 

 27 

 27 



27 

 28 



5.15 a.m.— 6.13 a. m 



11.27 a. m.— 12.22 p. m 



4.47 p. m.— 5.26 p. m 



5.26 a.m.— 6.18 a. m 



28 

 9 

 9 



16 





119 



