WILD mUTT EATEN BY THE ROSEBREAST. 



41 



the total food. Man}^ different kinds of fiiiit are eaten, among 

 which elderberries are probably of most importance. Both the com- 

 mon sweet elder {Samhucus canadensis) and the red-berried elder 

 {8. pubens) were identified. Nineteen birds had eaten these fruits, 

 which often composed from 60 to 90 j)ercent of the stomach contents. 

 In the gizzard of 1 grosbeak were found fully 200 seeds, which 

 means that no less than 40 to 50 ben-ies Avere taken at one meal. 

 Blackberries and raspberries rank next in preference, IT birds having 

 eaten them, and they sometimes constitute 80 percent of the food of 

 individual birds. 



Mulberries also are relished, the rosebreast often being observed 

 feeding on the wild red mulberry {Morus rubra). June berries 

 {Amelanchier canadensis., Plate II, fig. 3) were eaten by 3 of the 

 grosbeaks examined, 80 seeds being discovered in 1 stomach. Eight 

 or more of these rather large fruits must therefore have been taken 

 hy this bird. Among other wild fruits eaten by the birds examined 

 are wild red and black cheiries (Plate II, fig. 1), choke cherry, rough- 

 leaved dogwood (Plate II, fig. 6), winter- 

 green, checkerberry, red haw^, strawberry, 

 supple-jack, and pokeberry (Plate II, fig. 

 4). In additicm to these, authors and 

 correspondents add flowering dogw^ood 

 (Plate II, fig. 5), juniper, and sour gum. 



WEEDS. 



Fig. 21. — Seeds of black bind- 

 weed (Polugonuiii convolru- 

 hcs). (From Hillman, Ne- 

 vada Experiment Station.) 



Although this grosbeak is not particu- 

 larly fond of the seeds of weeds, it takes 

 part in the warfare which birds wage 

 against these misplaced plants, and attacks .some very troublesome 

 species. Fifteen and three- fourths percent of the bird's food is com- 

 posed of weed seed, and a greater proportion is consumed in August 

 and September than in other months. The seeds of smartweed and 

 bindw^eed (fig. 21), species unfavorably known both in country and 

 town, w^ere selected by the greater number of rosebreasts. Those of 

 tumbleweed or amaranth (fig. 18) are next in favor, and when eaten at 

 all almost invariably compose the major part of the stomach contents. 

 These weeds are obnoxious almost everywhere, and their bad qualities 

 are universally acknowledged. Seeds of foxtail (figs. 17 and 37), 

 highly valued in the dietary of many birds, were fed upon by but 

 2 rose-breasted grosbeaks, and other grass seeds — a small wild oat 

 in 2 cases — were eaten by 4 of the birds examined. Nightshade 

 and sedge seeds were each selected by the same number of birds. The 

 akenes of both common (fig. G) and giant ragweed were sampled, aiul 



