30 
OHIO EXPERIMENT STATION: BULLETIN 250 
A quart of the wing covers and other hard parts of the striped 
cucumber beetle has been taken from a single compartment of a 
nesting box of this species. Its hatred of Hawks is very marked 
and its presence is desirable about the poultry yard as a safeguard 
against loss in this way. By erecting nesting boxes and protecting 
from House Sparrows, this species should become more common. 
BARN SWALLOW, Hiriuido erythrogastra (Bodd.) 
The Barn Swallow is no longer the abundant rural resident that 
it once was. The modern closed barn offers it no welcome, as did 
the more open barns of the past, where large colonies of these birds 
nested. This species is pretty generally distributed over the state 
in summer, nesting wherever suitable sites are to be found. The 
House Sparrow is responsible, to a large degree, for the diminution 
in numbers of this species. The eggs and young of whole colonies 
are known to have been destroyed, in some instances, by this intro¬ 
duced species. 
The sum total which these birds destroy of flies, mosquitoes and 
numberless insects detrimental to human health, as well as of those 
injuring field crops and fruit, far exceeds the comprehension of 
man’s mind. 
OTHER SWALLOWS 
Other species occurring in this state as summer residents are: 
Cliff or Eaves Swallow, of local distribution and usually common 
wherever it occurs; Tree Swallow, common only at Lewiston reser¬ 
voir; Bank Swallow, locally common throughout the state, and 
Rough-winged Swallow, also locally common throughout the state. 
TANAGERS 
The Tanagers comprise one of the largest families of birds. 
These are distinctly American, the greater number being confined 
to the tropics. As a family, they are noted for the brilliancy of their 
plumage, but they do not rank high as songsters. They are arboreal 
and forest inhabiting. Only one species is common throughout 
Ohioduringthe summer, although a second species, theSummerTan- 
ager or Summer Redbird, sometimes occurs in the northern and is 
quite common in the southern part of the state. 
SCARLET TANAGER, Piranga erythro7tielas (Vieil.) 
This species is the most conspicuously brilliant of our summer 
birds. The body of the male is of flaming scarlet, which contrasts 
sharply with the jet black of wings and tail. It is a bird of retiring 
habit, keeping well up among the foliage of woodland trees, and is, 
therefore, not a well known bird. Its presence is made known by a 
characteristic chipp-churr and the song of the male is a loud, 
rhythmical carol, not unlike the Robin’s song. 
