6 BULLETIN 1359, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
Weevils also were well represented, occurring in 24 stomachs. Mis- 
cellaneous beetles of other groups were represented by casual indi- 
viduals in a number of stomachs. The identified material is listed 
in Table 1. 
Diptera. — Flies made up the greatest part of the food of the north- 
ern phalarope — 32.8 per cent of the whole. The most important 
element in this division is the larvae of mosquitoes, which alone 
amount to 6.3 per cent of the entire food. Remains of these larvae, 
identified usually by their breathing tubes, were found in 29 stomachs, 
all but one collected in May and June. The strange, long-legged 
crane flies were taken twice, while their larvae, aquatic in habit, were 
found 13 times. Gnats ( Chironomidae) were abundantly represented. 
Larvae were identified in 22 stomachs, pupae in 17, and adults in 16. 
The immature stages are found in water, in which they swarm in 
many localities. 
In the salt lakes of the Great Basin region larvae, pupae, and adults 
of the alkali flies (Ephydridae) furnish an abundant food. On Great 
Salt Lake northern phalaropes divide their attention between brine 
shrimps and the young stages of the alkali flies. Larvae and pupae 
of the latter abound in the shallows and form a rich supply of food. 
Adult individuals of EpJiydra, found 14 times, are secured as they 
rest on the surface film of the water or congregate on muddy shores. 
Larvae and pupae were identified 24 times. So abundant are these 
alkali flies that cast skins of the pupae drift ashore to form brown 
windrows, which often extend for miles along the beaches. For- 
merly the Indians utilized this food supply by gathering the pupae 
and preserving them for winter use. 
MoUusca. — Small mollusks amounted to 2.7 per cent of the food 
of the northern phalarope for the period under consideration. All of 
those identified were snails (Physa gyrina one and Planorbis trivolvis 
eight) or other gastropods. 
Miscellaneous. — Dragonfly nymphs (amounting to 0.2 per cent of 
the total) were eaten by three birds. Arachnida, another minor 
item in the food, came to 0.1 per cent. Spiders were identified four 
times, water-mites (Hydrachnidae) twice, and another mite once. 
Other miscellaneous animal food, a grouping including a variety of 
forms not found abundantly enough to merit separate tabulation, 
amounted to 3.8 per cent. In these the larvae of Mayflies were 
encountered four times and a grasshopper once. A marine worm 
of an abundant genus (Nereis) and neuropterans were found in the 
stomachs of two birds each. Fragments of moths in two cases, and 
skins of caterpillars in two, represented the Lepidoptera; and several 
small species, the Hymenoptera. These latter include ants and a 
few parasitic forms, which, from the fact that they must have been 
picked up by chance, have no particular economic significance. The 
class of vertebrates was represented by bones of a tiny fish. 
VEGETABLE FOOD 
The vegetable diet of the northern phalarope was made up of seeds, 
and, though amounting to only 2.8 per cent of the entire food, was 
taken regularly. In all, vegetable matter was identified in 38 
stomachs. Among the more important plants represented may be 
mentioned widgeon grass (Buppia), eaten 10 times; sago pondweed 
(Potamogeton pectinatus) , 3; bulrush {Scirpus), 11; and salt grass 
