FOOD HABITS OF SHOAL-WATER DUCKS. Dil 
Beetles (Coleoptera) amounted to 2.62 per cent of the food of the 
blue-winged teal, or less than one-tenth of the total animal matter 
eaten. Ten species of predacious diving beetles (Dytiscidae) were 
noted, 7 of ground beetles (Carabidae), 5 of water scavenger beetles 
(Hydrophilidae), 4 of crawling water beetles (Haliplidae), 3 of leaf. 
chafers (Scarabaeidae), 3 of leaf beetles (Chrysomelidae), 2 each of 
snout beetles (Curculionidae) and bilibugs (Calandrinae), and 1 each 
of whirligig beetles (Gyrinidae), shining carrion beetles (Histeridae), 
pill beetles (Byrrhidae), and mud beetles (Heteroceridae); while 
many individuals of most of these families were found which, on 
account of their fragmentary condition, could not be further identi- 
fied. Unclassified beetle remains were found in 50 stomachs. 
The nymphs or young of damselflies (Zygoptera) and dragonflies 
(Anisoptera) live in the water and afford delicate morsels for ducks. 
Twenty-two of the blue-winged teals had eaten nymphs of dragon- 
flies and two those of damselflies, while three stomachs contained 
remains of nymphs which were not identified. 
Bugs (Heteroptera’* and Homoptera) constituted 0.86 per cent of 
the birds’ diet. These represented 10 families, besides the remains 
of a few bugs which were not identified. Water boatmen (Corixidae) 
had been eaten by 43 birds, creeping water bugs (Naucoridae) by 
15, back swimmers (Notonectidae) by 12, water striders (Gerridae) 
and broad-shouldered water striders (Veliidae) by 2 each, and negro 
‘bugs (Corimelaenidae), stink bugs (Pentatomidae), giant water bugs 
(Belostomatidae), planthoppers (Fulgoridae), and leafhoppers (Jas- 
sidae) by 1 each. 
Only 0.65 per cent of the blue-winged teal’s food consisted of two- 
winged flies and their larvae and pupae. Six families were repre- 
sented, and unidentified larvae or pupae were taken from 8 stomachs. 
The larvae of soldierflies (Stratiomyidae) and midges (Chironomidae) 
were present in 11 gizzards each, while those of flower flies (Syr- 
phidae) had been eaten by 4 birds, and Anthomyiidae, Ephydridae, 
and black flies (Simuliidae) by 1 each. 
_ The miscellaneous insect food consisted of unidentified fragments 
of insects, a grasshopper or two, 3 small moth cocoons, a few ants, 
insect eggs, ete. 
CRUSTACEANS (CRUSTACEA), 1.93 PER CENT. 
Crustaceans furnished 1.93 per cent of the contents of all the 
blue-winged teal gizzards examined, and consisted of beach 
fleas, scuds, etc. (Amphipoda), found in 7 stomachs; small bivalved 
crustaceans (Ostracoda), in 8; and stalk-eyed crustaceans (Decapoda), 
in 2. The last-mentioned order includes the claw of a crab found in 
one stomach and a sand shrimp (Crangonyx gracilis) in the other. 
Two North Carolir.a stomachs collected in March were nearly filled 
