S-i 



BULLETIN 326, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGEICL'LTrEE. 



17 of the 29 stomachs examined, and among them fragments of three ichneumon 

 flies and remains of several bees were identified. They are only exceeded in 

 bulk by flies (37.15 per cent), which were eaten constantly and were present 

 in 23 stomachs, in some cases comprising as much as 85 per cent of the bulk. 



Miscellaneous matter, consisting of a spider, a snail, and an earwig, amounts 

 to 0.49 per cent. 



The following insects were identified in the stomachs examined : 



CRTHOPTERA. 



Orochm 



sp. 



HEMIPTERA. 



urmenis sp 



T°:ttigonia sp. 



COLEOPTERA. 



Copdatus sp 



Cydoneda limbifer 

 Scymnus roseicollii 



ScymniUus sp 



Monocrepidius sp _ 

 Chrysobothris sp__ 



Lima sp 



Gryptocephaius sp_ 



Zabrotes sp 



Helops sp 



coleoptera — continued. 



MorddJa sp 



Anthonomus sp 



Platypus sp 



Psilopus sp 



Toli'.ceUa sp 



Sarcophaga sp__. 



Lv.cuia sp 



Pyrellia violaeea. 

 Euxcsta sp 



hymexoptera. 



Polistes sp 



Exomalopsis sp 



Ealictus sp 



Summary. — Though not large enough in body to cope successfully with the 

 larger insect pests of the island, the Porto Pican wood pewee aids effectively 

 in destroying smaller species, some of which are known to be injurious, while 

 others may prove upon investigation to be of more importance than is believed 

 at present. Some harm is done in the destruction of the parasitic Hymenop- 

 tera. which are inevitably snapped up by any true flycatcher continually on the 

 watch for winged prey, but these are counterbalanced by injurious species of 

 small Homoptera. moths, weevils, and other beetles as well as the flies de- 

 stroyed. From its unobtrusive habits this pewee attracts little attention, but 

 should be protected wherever found. 



AXTILLEAX ELADEA. Elainea martinica martinica (Linnceus). 

 EriSEXOR Pequexo. 



The small flycatcher, known as the Antillean elainea. has not previously been 

 recorded from this region, but was found to be tolerably common on the south 

 side of Vieques Island from Porto Ferro east, on Culebra Island, and also on 

 Culebrita Island and Louis Peiia (Southwest Cay). It would appear to be a 

 summer visitant, as it was not noted on Vieques until March 25, but after that 

 time it was fairly common. All the birds taken appeared ready to breed. It 

 is a solitary species, individuals being found considerable distances apart, in 

 dense, almost impenetrable thorny growths of cactus and small trees. In 

 habits it combines the characteristics of flycatchers and vireos. 



Food. — In 10 stomachs of this species taken in March and April animal food 

 amounts to 14.5 per cent and vegetable to S5.5 per cent. 



The only animal food taken at all regularly consisted of spiders (2.4 per 

 cent), found in three stomachs. One bird had eaten a large caterpillar and 

 another two weevils. In one stomach was a leaf beetle (Cryptocephalus pusio) 

 and in others bits of an earwig and a ladybird beetle {Cycloneda HmMfer), 



In eating so much vegetable food (S5.5 per cent) the elainea differs markedly 

 from our northern flycatchers, none of which approaches it in this respect at any 



