BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 81 



ANTILLEAN FLYCATCHER. Myiarchus antillarum (Bryant). 

 Jui. 



The Antillean flycatcher is a common resident on Porto Rico and Vieques, be- 

 ing evenly distributed but nowhere abundant. On April 6 and 20 their unmis- 

 takable notes were heard in the dense thorny forest growth on Punto Soldado, 

 Culebra Island. As they have not previously been recorded from this island it 

 is unfortunate that no specimens were secured. The birds are found in coffee 

 plantations, in small patches of second growth along hedgerows, brush-filled 

 ravines, or, where cover is near, even along the borders of cane fields. On El 

 Yunque they occurred up to 1,800 feet altitude. In their habits they are very 

 quiet and unassuming and may easily be overlooked. An open perch is usually 

 chosen from which the birds may watch for insects, as in a small opening in 

 the forest or along the border of a coffee plantation, though the perch is often 

 in the dense leaves in the tops of trees. Insects are captured on the wing, and 

 berries are occasionally eaten. In general appearance, habits, and notes the 

 birds markedly resemble the western wood pewee. During the latter part of 

 April and May birds were seen inspecting nesting holes, though no nests were 

 found. July 5, along the Rio Guajataca, near Quebradillas, a party of three 

 young, just out of the nest, was observed, and after this date young were com- 

 mon. Near Bayamon they were found in the citrus groves. By the supersti- 

 tious countryman the note of the jui is regarded as the forerunner of news, and 

 whether this be good or bad the bird gets the credit for it. 



Food. — In 40 stomachs of the Antillean flycatcher, representing the months 

 from December to August, animal food forms 84.17 per cent and vegetable 15.83 

 per cent. Hemiptera, weevils, and caterpillars comprise the bulk of the animal 

 food with Hymenoptera in lesser quantities. The vegetable food, less in amount 

 than in the two birds last described (Tyrannus d. dominicensis and Tolmarchus 

 taylori), is composed mainly of seeds of wild fruits or berries. 



Animal food. — Fragments of the mole cricket (Scapteriscus didactylus) (1.27 

 per cent) were found in three stomachs. As the birds are found occasionally 

 watching for prey from low perches bordering the woodlands or even near 

 cane fields, they have opportunity to destroy numbers of the changa. Other 

 orthopteran remains (3.97 per cent) were found in seven stomachs. Grass- 

 hoppers and locusts are represented, and odd long-bodied walking sticks 

 (Phasmidse) were eaten twice. Homoptera, largely cicadas (Proarno hilaris), 

 with a few fulgorids, figure as 7.67 per cent, and stinkbugs in six stomachs come 

 to 2.33 per cent. Other bugs (all Heteroptera) amount to 2.62 per cent. 



Among beetles, the longicorns in 11 stomachs make up 1.7 per cent, and leaf 

 beetles (Chrysomelidee) eaten by the same number of birds amount to 1.4 per 

 cent. Among these are diabroticas and a corn leaf -eating beetle (Myochrous 

 sp.). Another small chrysomelid (Cryptocephalus sp.) was found in six 

 stomachs. The cane root-boring weevil, though represented in only five 

 stomachs, amounts to 11.22 per cent. Other scarred-snout beetles, which were 

 largely made up of the coffee leaf-weevil (Lachnopus sp.), identified seven times, 

 come to 5 per cent. Additional weevil remains make up 3.09 per cent. Mis- 

 cellaneous Coleoptera (1.04 per cent) include a bean weevil (Zabrotes sp.) and 

 several darkling beetles (Helops sp.). Caterpillars, represented in 14 stomachs, 

 and a few fragments of adult Lepidoptera together comprise 25.85 per cent. 

 Diptera (1.45 per cent), almost entirely disregarded by the gray kingbird and 

 petchary, were recognized in five stomachs. 



Hymenoptera (10.51 per cent), a constant element in the food, were found in 

 20 stomachs, or half those examined. Individuals of wild bees occurred five 

 times, but there was no trace of the domestic species. Wasp remains were 

 9767°— Bull. 326— 16— -6 



