46 POOD OP THE FLYCATCHERS. 



(Tabanidae), the robber flies (Asilidae), the syrphus flies (Syrphidae) , 

 the taehina flies (Tachinidae), and a number of long-legged crane 

 flies (Tipulidae). The great bulk of the dipterous food, however, 

 belonged to the house fly family (Muscidae) . The syrphus and taehina 

 flies are useful insects, but the great majority of members of the fly 

 families are a nuisance and many of them pests, and it is a benefit 

 to the world to have their numbers reduced ; in this respect the wood 

 pewee is doing a good work. 



Moths and caterpillars (Lepidoptera) are eaten by the wood pewee 

 every month of its stay in the north, but not quite so regularly nor 

 in such quantities as flies. The average for the season of eight 

 months is 12.31 per cent. They were found in 79 stomachs, but' no 

 stomach was entirely filled with them. The adult moths were found 

 in 59 stomachs, and the larvae, or caterpillars, in 21 — another instance 

 where the moths eaten much exceed the caterpillars. Owing to 

 their soft bodies none of these insects were well enough preserved to 

 enable the species to be recognized, but, as nearly the whole order is 

 composed of harmful species, identification is not necessary. 



Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) are eaten very sparingly 

 and irregularly by the wood pewee. The total for the season (March 

 to October) is 3.44 per cent. They were found in only 33 stomachs, 

 and but 1 contained no other food. These insects are perhaps too 

 large to be successfully managed by so small a bird; moreover, they 

 are not extensive flyers, and some of them do not fly at all, which 

 probably accounts for their rarity in the diet. 



Hemiptera (bugs) are eaten in every month of the pewee's stay 

 north, but in small and rather irregular quantities. They were found 

 in 98 stomachs, and not one was completely filled with this kind of 

 food. The families recognized were the tree hoppers (Membracidae), 

 leaf hoppers (Jassidae), negro bugs (Corimelaenidae), stinkbugs (Pen- 

 tatomidae), squash bug family (Coridae), assassin bugs (Reduviidae), 

 and water striders (Hydrobatidae). Ail of these are harmful in their 

 habits except the assassin bugs, which destroy caterpillars and other 

 insects, and the water striders, which have no economic significance. 

 The amount for the season is 5.99 per cent of the food. 



Miscellaneous insects, nearly all of which are dragon flies, were eaten 

 with remarkable regularity in all the months from May to Septem- 

 ber. The total for the season is 2.61 per cent. Spiders, with a few 

 millepeds, were taken in every month of the pewee's stay in the north, 

 but rather irregularly. They are probably eaten as makeshifts when 

 better food is wanting, as on rainy days when flying insects are not 

 abroad. They amount to 2.21 per cent of the food, and complete 

 the animal quota. 



The following is a list of the insects identified and the number of 

 stomachs in which each was found. 



