FOOD HABITS OF THE SWALLOWS. 17 
beetles were identified, of which the majority are injurious' to plant 
life in some form. 
Ants (6.37 per cent), many of which are winged forms, seem to be 
well relished by tree swallows. Most of them are eaten from May to 
October. February is the month of maximum consumption (25 per 
cent) ; but as only 4 stomachs were taken in this month, the record 
can not be considered representative. The great bulk of this food 
was taken from May to October. Hymenoptera other than ants 
(7.58 per cent) were taken in every month but two, March and 
December; and as but few stomachs were secured in these months, 
the omission is probably accidental. This item of food is made up 
of wild bees and wasps, with- a large proportion of parasitic species. 
No domestic bees were observed. 
Hemiptera, the order including widely different insects, from the 
little plant louse (aphid) to the large harvest fly (cicada), do not 
appear repugnant to birds because of their odor ; in fact, the family 
Pentatomidse, generally known as stinkbugs, forms a staple article of 
diet of most insectivorous birds. They were found in 5 stomachs 
of the tree swallow. Tree hoppers (Membracidse) were found in 6 
stomachs, leaf hoppers ( Jassidse) in 9, and plant lice (Aphididse) in 
11. Probably more of the last were present, but these fragile creatures 
are so easily reduced to a pulp that the action of the stomach soon 
renders them unrecognizable. The most interesting family of the 
Hemiptera in this connection are the Lygseidse, found in only 3 
stomachs, but in one represented by the remains of 80 chinch bugs 
(Blissus leucopterus) . The bird had evidently encountered a swarm 
of these insects in flight and had filled up on them, an indication that 
they are palatable and will be taken whenever found. 
Diptera form the largest item of the tree swallow's food (40.54 
per cent) . They were eaten all through the year, but mostly in the 
colder months. The greatest quantity (89.5 per cent) was taken in 
November and the least (6.98 per cent) in August, which is prover- 
bially the month of flies. While numerous, they represent but few 
families, and only 5 were identified in the stomachs: Craneflies 
(Tipulidse), horseflies (Tabanidse), robberflies (Asilidse), flower flies 
(Syrphidse), and house flies (Muscidss), the last of which were by 
far the most numerous. The syrphus flies, found in 10 stomachs, are 
usually considered useful insects, as many when in the larval state 
feed upon plant lice and others act as scavengers. 
Lepidoptera were eaten only in the months from April to Septem- 
ber, the greatest quantity in August (5.02 per cent) . They were found 
in 20 stomachs, 15 of which contained the adult moths and 5 the larvae, 
or caterpillars; an indication that the bird takes the adult insect 
probably because of its method of feeding— upon the wing. The 
average for the year is only 1.07 per cent. 
