56 FOOD OP THE FLYCATCHERS. 



ninus, the nut destroyer, was found in 8 stomachs, and several other 

 harmful species were identified. 



Hymenoptera amount to 38.76 per cent, and were found in 121 

 stomachs, of which 7 contained no other food. They were mostly 

 wasps and bees, though ants were contained in 19 stomachs and one 

 was entirely filled with them. But few parasitic species were found. 

 This is the largest item of food and is eaten in considerable quantity 

 in every month. 



Hemiptera were eaten in the months from April, to September 

 quite regularly, but not in large quantities. They were found in 53 

 stomachs, of which 2 contained nothing else, and amount to 8.44 

 per cent of the food. The families identified were stinkbugs, tree 

 hoppers, and leaf hoppers. The 2 stomachs that contained Hemiptera 

 alone were entirely filled with stinkbugs. 



Diptera are the second largest item of food and are eaten in every 

 month and more regularly than any other. They were found in 67 

 stomachs and in 5 there was nothing else. They average 31.22 per 

 cent of the seasonal food. Most of them were in such a state as to 

 preclude specific identification, but a few were crane flies (Tipulidae), 

 one a horsefly (Tabanida?), a few Tachina flies (Tachinidse) , and one 

 a soldier fly (Stratiomyiidae) . 



Lepidoptera were found in the food of every month except March, 

 but in July and August in very small quantities only. They con- 

 sisted of adult moths in 8 stomachs and caterpillars in 31. It is 

 worthy of mention that larvae of the codling moth (Carpocapsa 

 pomonella) were found in 3 stomachs and were probably contained in 

 a number more but unrecognizable. It is not improbable that some 

 of the adult moths were of this species also, but too badly mashed 

 for identification. In all, Lepidoptera amount to 6.59 per cent of 

 the food, and are eaten in every month except March, July, and 

 August. 



Orthoptera were found in 2 stomachs taken in August and one in 

 September. They amount to 0.62 per cent of the food. Raphidia 

 and a few unidentified insects make up 0.71 per cent. Spiders 

 were found in every month but March and were contained in 20 

 stomachs. They amount to 4.58 per cent and complete the animal 

 food. 



The following insects were identified: 



HYMEXOPTERA. 

 Chrysis sp 1 



