ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS, 
5G5 
Food: In the stomachs of foiu’ specimens were found may-flies, a large dragon¬ 
fly, beetles, water-boatmen, scorpion-bugs, berry-bug-like het(;roi)tera an<l grass¬ 
hoppers. The material taken from the stomach of one specimen weighed nine 
grammes. From the stomach of another were taken five small grasshoppers, 
eight larvae of hemipterous insects (Coi'isice), and ten scoi’x^ion-bugs, none of them 
less than three-fourths of an inch long. 
Wasjis, flies, beetles and other insects. Nearly a snuff-box full were taken 
from the stomach of one (Wilson). Winged insects (De Kay). Beetles, moths, 
caterxiiilars, crickets and grasshoppers (Audubon). 
Fa^^iily CYPSELIDiE: Swifts. 
Fig. 132. 
Chimney Swift {ChcBtura pelasgica). After Baird, Brewer and Ridgway. 
139. CH..ETURA PELASGICA (LiNN.), Steph. CHI3INEY SWIFT. Group II. 
Class a. 
The Chimney Swift, in July, 1876, was much more abundant in the northern 
unsettled portion of the state than I ever saw it in the southern. There it doubt¬ 
less follows its i:)rimitive habit of breeding in hollow trees. We have no bird 
so incessantly on the wing or so dexterous and swift in its aerial movements. 
While it is abroad at all times of the day, it is out earlier in the morning and 
later in the evening than the Night-hawk; and it is said to feed its young at in¬ 
tervals during the whole night. Such traits as these appear to make this a very 
valuable bird; and when we know moi’e definitely than we do now in regard to 
its food, it may be found advisable to erect cheap hollow towers for it to bi-eed. 
in, in order that it may become more abundant away from cities. 
Food: Of three specimens examined, two had nothing in their stomachs, and 
the other stomach contained two flies. 
Of three specimens examined by Prof. Forbes, three had eaten hymenoptera; 
two, ants; one, lepidoptera, adults; one, beetles; one, ground-beetles; one, rove- 
beetles; ou®^ plant-beetles; two, dipterous insects; two, hemiptera; and one, 
spidex”. 
