FLYCATCHER FAMILY. 43 



which prefer moths, but is quite in accordance with the general rule 

 among insectivorous birds. Special interest attaches to tins item 

 of the bird's food from the fact that larvae of the codling moth were 

 found in 3 stomachs. In one 15 were counted, which amounted to 

 89 percent of the food. In another they were too badly broken. to 

 be counted, but formed 55 percent of the contents. In the third 

 only 1 was found, amounting to 3 percent. Evidently these 

 insects were hibernating in a crevice in the bark of a tree or some 

 similar place, and were there discovered by the flycatcher. 



A few unidentified insects and some spiders make up the remainder 

 of the animal food — about 6 percent. Spiders were found in 19 

 cases — in 1 stomach amounting to 70 percent — and these, with 

 the caterpillars, particularly the codling-moth larvae, show that a 

 considerable percentage of the food of this bird is not caught on the 

 wing. 



The following is a list of insects identified from the stomachs of 

 the western flycatcher: 



COLEOPTERA. 



Aleochara bimaculata. Gastroidea cyanea. 



Hippodamia ambigua. Diabrotica soror. 



Hippodamia convergens. Monoxia sordida. 



Coccinella calif ornica. Epitrix sp. 



Scymnus sp. Eulabis ruj 



Telephones divisus. Blapstinus ruficeps. 



Aphodius sp. Deporaus glastinus. 



Limonius infuscatus. Balaninus sp. 



Stratiomyia maculosa. 

 Carpocapsa pomonella. 



DIPTERA. 

 LEPIDOPTERA. 



Vegetable food. — Vegetable matter was found in 16 stomachs, 

 though some of it could not properly be called food. One stomach 

 contained seeds of Rubus fruit (blackberries or raspberries) ; 7, 

 seeds of elderberries; 1, the skin of an unidentified fruit and a 

 seed of tarweed (Madia); while 6 held rubbish. The Rubus fruit 

 might have been cultivated, but probably was not. 



Food of young. — Among the stomachs whose contents have been 

 discussed were those of 15 nestlings, varying in age from 48 hours to 

 2 weeks, which show no marked differences from those of adults. 

 Only 2 of these stomachs contained any vegetable matter; in 1 

 was 15 percent of rubbish; in the other 3 percent. Gravelstones 

 were found in several cases, and have been observed in the young 

 of other insectivorous birds, even when not found in adults of the 

 same species. 



