224 



FUOU HABITS AND REQUIREMENTS 



Though in captivity the chicks feed freely on ap])le leaves, in the wild only a single individ- 

 ual of all those examined had sampled them. 



Animals bulk largest in the June foods of chicks, constituting 56.6 per cent: drop sharply 

 in July to 13.0 per cent and in .August to 5.0 per cent. At this time the diet approximates 

 that of the adults. It is doubtful if chicks search niuih for insects after they are several weeks 

 old. for they seem to concentrate on finding suitable })lants. picking up animals only inciden- 

 tally. Running back and forth in a most haphazard manner, pausing now and then to probe 

 beneath a leaf, it is no wonder that the chicks uncover such a variety of insect life. No bug 

 seems too bitter nor caterpillar too ugly to be tried at least once. In the 540 chicks examined, 

 475 different animal foods were identified. Many ate 20 or more kinds and several upwards 

 of 30. Protective devices are no certain deterrent, for the formidable lo moth larva, one of 

 the fiercest-looking of all caterpillars and armed with poisonous spines, fell prey to one chick 

 and stink-buss seem to be taken with relish. 



TABLE 31. MONTHLY VARIATIONS IN THE IMPORTANT PLANT AND ANIM.\L FOODS 



OF 540 NEW YORK GROUSE CHICKS 



•Actual numl>er of occurreniTeH for each (trnup: many birds ale wveral repreaeiilatives of a Kroup. 



ATrace. or iosa than (t.l pT cent. 



tNot taken. 



tlncludes (Vnrrinitini) and (Cityltltanrint. 



Ants, often considered as "protected" insects, are the most poi)ular fo 

 the SIO tabulated containing one or more of them. Larvae and adults 

 adults of ichneumon-dies are also well liked, 139 young birds eating the 

 latter. Beetles, largely weevils, leaf beetles and ground beetles, along w 

 ders and grasshoppers, supplied the bulk of the remaining animal food. 



od. 488 stomachs of 

 of saw-flies and the 

 former and 1 45 the 

 ith cateriiillars. spi- 



