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THE SCOTTISH NATURALIST 



per cent, of the total food. The grain and beneficial insects 

 destroyed, viz., 3-4 per cent, are injuries and against the 

 pheasant, but we can set against this small percentage the 

 injurious insects and slugs, constituting 26-2 per cent. Such 

 an analysis at once shows us the average significance of the 

 food, is trustworthy, and enables us to state definitely the 



Fig. I. 

 Diagram showing percentages of food of the Pheasant. 



economic status of this bird, which is not possible by any 

 other method. 



Moreover, no numerical system permits of expressing 

 either in writing or by diagram the proportions of a bird's 

 food, neither does it permit of comparisons of one bird's 

 diet with another, whereas the percentage by bulk method 

 at once admits of the stating of a definite ratio, such as is 

 given above, or as more graphically shown in Figs. I. and II. 



