38 FOOD OF THE FLYCATCHEBS. 



Vegetable food. — The vegetable food of Say's phoebe can be dis- 

 missed with a few words. It consists of seeds of elder (Sambucus) 

 contained in 3 stomachs, nightshade (Solanum) in 2, a single seed of 

 a fig in 1, seeds of tarweed (Madia) in 1, and rubbish in 4. Thus it 

 has no economic importance. 



The following fruits were identified: 



Elderberry (Sambucus glauca) 3 1 Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum) . 2 



Tarweed (Madia sativa) 1 | Fig (Ficus) 1 



Summary. — It is evident that the animal food is the factor that 

 fixes this bird's economic position. The item of this most open to 

 criticism is the three families of predatory beetles. This item is 

 higher with Say's phoebe than with any other of the flycatchers, but 

 still is small as compared with the injurious insects eaten. It is 

 evident that in spite of the fact that the bird eats these useful insects 

 its work on the whole is beneficial, and it should be protected. 



BLACK PHCEBE. 



(Sayornis nigricans.) 



The black phoebe (PL V) would seem to have extended its range 

 from Mexico into the United States along the southern border and 

 on the west coast. In California it is confined chiefly to the region 

 west of the Sierra Nevada, and its range extends for a short distance 

 into Oregon. Farther south it is found east as far as central Texas. 

 It inhabits the valleys and is resident throughout the year. Like 

 many other flycatchers, it is very partial to the vicinity of water, and 

 every stream or pool, and even the watering trough by the roadside, 

 will be found to have its attendant phoebe. It is as domestic as its 

 eastern relative, and habitually builds its nest under the eaves or in 

 crannies of buildings, and where these are surrounded by a large 

 stockyard with a plentiful supply of water the conditions appear to 

 be ideal. Bridges, overhanging banks of streams, and rock cliffs 

 also are favorite nesting sites. 



While camping beside a stream in California the writer observed 

 the feeding habits of the black phoebe. The nesting season was over, 

 and apparently the birds had nothing to do but look for food, and 

 this they appeared to do all the time. At the first gleam of daylight 

 a phoebe could always be seen flitting from rock to rock, and proba- 

 bly it caught an insect on each flight. This activity was kept up all 

 day, and even after supper, when it was so dark that notes could be 

 written only by the light of the camp fire, the phoebes were still 

 hunting insects. Up and down this stream there was a phoebe at 

 every 10 or 12 rods patrolling for insects. 



Observations like these are convincing evidence that the number 

 of insects destroyed in a year by this species is enormous, and the 



