The Food of Birds . 
101 
abundant as before and make about a fourth of the food. 
Arctikke and Phalaenidae (measuring-worms) appear in 
some quantity, but of unrecognized species. The larvae 
of Bibio fall to eight per cent, and do not again appear in 
the food during the year. 
A strong upward jump in the ratio of Coleoptera, 
which rise in this month to forty-two per cent., is doubt- 
less due to the greater activity of beetles during this sea- 
son of their amours. The effect is clearly seen by run- 
ning along the line of averages for Coleoptera from Feb- 
ruary to October, viz. : 4, 18, 42, 44, 15, 9, 7, 5, 3. The up- 
ward swell which commences in March and dies away in 
June, corresponds to the time when the procreative im- 
pulse overcomes the usual discretion of these insects, 
and draws them out more freely into the open air. It is 
in this month that the bird makes its principal attack on 
the predaceous beetles, which are represented by an av- 
erage of seventeen per cent., eaten by eleven of the birds. 
Thirteen heads of Harpahis herhivagus, for example, 
were taken from the stomach of a single robin. Other 
species of Harpalus, Brachylobus lithophilus, Aniso- 
dactylus baltimorensis, Geopinus incrassatus , Pteros- 
tichus and Amara were observed. Scarabaeidae also oc- 
cur in unusual abundance at this time (fifteen per cent.), 
as might be anticipated by one who recalls the numbers 
in which they are now seen flying in the air. May-beetles 
(Laclmosterna) make about half of these, and Aphodii 
the other half. A single bird had happened upon an in- 
teresting store of water-beetles (Hydrophilidae) which 
included a specimen of Hydrocharis obtusatus. several of 
Philhydrus cinctns, and a number of Helopliori unknown 
to me. Rhynchophora amount to about three per cent, of 
the food. Only Centrinus and Graphorhinus vadosus 
were recognized. Minor items were the traces noticed of 
Elateridae, Lampyridae and Chrysomelidae. 
Hemiptera stand at about the ordinary average (three 
percent.), as usual chiefly Pentatomidae. Coriscus ferns , 
some indeterminable Reduviid, Podisus 1 modestus and Hy~ 
menarcys nervosa were the principal forms. The Orthop- 
tera (five per cent.) call for no especial remarks, neither 
