60 BULLETIN- 326, IT. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



plumage were noted until field work was completed in September, so that 

 apparently they nest the year round. Although these birds often build com- 

 munal nests, this is not aways the case. Near Cayey, January 22, a pair were 

 seen constructing a nest in a tree about 30 feet above a small stream, the male 

 sitting on a limb above while the female was in the nest, as yet only a loose 

 mass of sticks and weeds, moving and turning to shape it to her body, her long 

 tail sticking nearly straight up in the air. July 25, near Bayamon, a single 

 bird slipped quietly from a bulky nest in a clump of bamboos and only its 

 mate appeared to join it. The nests seen ranged from 6 (Vieques Island) to 

 30 feet above the ground and were all large and bulky. 



On May 20, near Yauco, three anis were seen in a tree in which several 

 mozambiques had nests. The anis were right at the nests, and the blackbirds, 

 together with a pair of gray kingbirds, were much excited, but appeared to be 

 unable to drive away the intruders. The anis were evidently bent on robbing 

 the nests, and one was shot in the act of gulping down something, which was 

 found to be an egg. No other instances of this egg-eating habit were observed. 



Food. — In 41 stomachs of the ani animal matter forms 91.3 per cent and 

 vegetable 8.7 per cent. Orthoptera make up the largest item of animal food, 

 with Coleoptera next, while large quantities of true bugs and caterpillars were 

 taken. Vegetable matter was made up almost entirely of seeds and wild fruits, 

 with a little rubbish secured with other food. 



Animal food. — Orthoptera, the largest part of the food of this bird, form 

 41.58 per cent. Mole crickets (Scapteriscus didactylus) occur in five stomachs 

 and make 5.69 per cent, forming an important element of the food. Locusts 

 (Acrididse) were eaten 21, and katydids (Locustidse) 24 times, and these, with 

 cricket remains in 6 instances, amount to 35.8 per cent. These are picked up 

 on the ground and are all injurious insects. Predacious mantids were found 

 in three stomachs, but compared with other Orthoptera form a very small 

 bulk. The largest quantities of Orthoptera are found from December to May 

 and the smallest in July and August. 



Of Coleoptera, weevils (14.81 per cent) are the best represented, and are 

 injurious almost without exception. The one occurring most is the destructive 

 cane root-borer (Diaprepes spengleri), which was found in 14 stomachs and 

 amounts to 7.09 per cent. The adult weevil is common in pastures and fields 

 frequented by the ani and offers them an easily secured means of subsistence. 

 It is known to feed not only upon the sugar cane but also upon the roots of 

 orange trees. The larval form of this weevil, known as el gorgojo-barreno de las 

 raices, is safe from bird enemies except at plowing time, but the adult is open 

 to attack at all seasons. The weevil stalk-borer, el gorgojo-barreno in los tallos, 

 was eaten once. A single predacious ground beetle (Calosoma alternants) was 

 eaten, as well as two others (Selenophorus sp.), of doubtful character. Leaf 

 beetles amount to 3.61 per cent; among them a green diabrotica (Diabrotica 

 graminea), known to injure cane and various vegetables by eating the leaves, 

 was taken eight times. Miscellaneous beetles amount to 4.72 per cent and Scara- 

 bseidse to 0.21 per cent, consisting entirely of small species (Aphodius and 

 itoiiws). In this great mass of beetles only one ladybird (Cycloneda limbifer) 

 was found. 



Squash bugs (Pentatomidse) form 9.24 per cent and were present in 22 in- 

 stances. They are known to be more or less injurious and, unsavory and ill 

 smelling as they are, appear to be freely eaten by the ani. Miscellaneous Hemip- 

 tera form 1.22 per cent and are composed of 'stray water boatmen and back 

 swimmers with a few predacious ambush and assassin bugs and others. 



Caterpillars were found in 17 stomachs and moths in 7, and form 9.71 per 

 cent. In some cases almost an entire meal was made from caterpillars, one 



