FOOD OF AMERICAN PHALAROPES, AVOCETS, AND STILTS 
11 
able that in addition to furnishing some nutriment they also serve 
as substitutes for bits of gravel, often difficult to get in the silt of 
lowland marshes but useful in grinding up food. 
SUMMARY 
In its apparent predilection for mosquito larvse the Wilson phala- 
rope is perhaps more useful than either of the other two species, as 
it ranges throughout the summer season on the fresh-water marshes, 
where mosquitoes often abound. Its destruction of larvae of horse- 
flies should also be placed to its credit. A large part of the food is 
composed of other marsh-haunting insects, which, so far as known 
at present, are of neutral economic significance. From no item can 
it be charged that this phalarope is injurious, and there could be no 
excuse for removing it from the protected list. The inroads of agri- 
culture will restrict its breeding grounds, but with the adequate 
protection now accorded it the bird should maintain its numbers. 
Fortunately its body is so small that there is no incentive for poachers 
to kill it as game. 
Table 2. — Material identified in the food of the Wilson phalarope as determined 
from the examination of 106 stomachs, and the number of stomachs in which each 
item was found 
Animal Matter 
Phyllopoda 
Artemia fertilis (brine shrimps) 
Daphniidae (water fleas) (winter eggs) . 
Amphipoda (shrimplets) 
Unidentified amphipods 
Odonata (dragonflies) 
Dragonfly larva 
Ephemerida (Mayflies) 
Ephemeridae (larvae) 
Heteroptera (true bugs) 
Salda sp 
Notonectidae (back-swimmers). 
Corixidae (water-boatmen) 
ther heter opter ans . . 
Trichoptera (caddisflies) 
Unidentified caddisfly larva , 
Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) 
Caterpillars 
Coleoptera (beetles) 
Bembidionsp 
Stenolophus limbalis 
Other Carabidae (ground beetles) 
Haliplusruficollis... 
Haliplussp 
Other Haliplidae (crawling water-beetles).. . 
Canthydrus bicolor 
Coelambus punctatus 
Coelambus sp.. 
Hydroporus morio 
Dytiscidae (larvae) 
Other Dytiscidae (predacious diving beetles) . 
Helophorus inquinatus 
Helophorussp . 
Berosus striatus 
Berosus sp . 
Philhydrussp 
Animal Matter— Continued 
Coleoptera (beetles)— Continued 
Hydrophilidae (larvae) 
Other Hydrophilidae (water-scavenger bee- 
tles) 
Staphylinidae (larva) -. 
Other Staphylinidae (rove beetles) 
Hister sp.. 
Cytilus sericeus 
Heterocerus sp 
Aphodiussp 
Monoxiasp.. 
Other Chrysomelidae (leaf beetles) 
Tenebrionidae 
Phytonomus posticus (alfalfa weevil) 
Onychilis nigrirostris 
Anchodemus angustus 
Bagous restrictus. 
Bagoussp 
Mecopeltus aeneosquamosus 
Other Curculionidae (weevils) 
Sphenophorus sp 
Unidentified weevils 
Other coleopterans. 
Diptera (flies) 
Tipulidae (larvae) 
Adult Tipulidae (crane flies) 
Chironomidae (larvae and pupae) 
Adult Chironomidae (midges) 
Aedes (Heteronycha) dorsalis (larva).. 
Aedes (Heteronycha) spencerii (larva). 
Other Culicidae (mosquitoes) (larvae).. 
Stratiomyiidse (soldier flies) (larvae)... 
Tabanus sp. (horseflies) (larvae) 
Dolichopodidae (long-footed flies) 
Syrphidae (flower flies) (larvae) 
Ephydra gracilis (larvae and pupae) 
Ephydra hians (larvae) 
Ephydra sp 
Ephydra sp. (larvae and pupae) 
Other Ephydridae (alkali flies) 
Other dipterous larvae and pupae 
Other dipterans 
Hymenoptera (ants, bees, and wasps) 
Unidentified ants 
Pteromalini 
Chelonus sp 
Other hymenopterans. 
