Food and Water 119 



Parts used: Nuts, and to a negligible extent buds and leaves. 



Geogiaphical importance: Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and 

 Northern New England, in areas where the beech-birch-maple- 

 hemlock woodland type is prevalent is the area of importance for 

 beech. 



The beech is a large tree of the northern-hardwoods association 

 found mainly on sUghtly acid, loam soils in well-drained situations. 

 Its tree associations are mainly maples, birches, hophornbeams, black 

 cherry, hemlock, and white pine. It grows slowly, reaches a very 

 old age and sprouts profusely after cutting. It is considered by many 

 to be a forest weed because its wood is not as valuable as that of 

 leading timber species. 



The triangular nut is borne in a prickly bur. Trees do not ordi- 

 narily fruit until they are from forty to fifty years old and then very 

 irregularly. It is eaten by at least fourteen species of birds in addi- 

 tion to the ruffed grouse, including the bobwhite, wild turkey, and 

 ring-necked pheasant. It is also taken by many mammals, among 

 them all the squirrels, foxes, raccoon, opossum, white-tailed deer, 

 black bear, porcupine, and cottontail. 



Chemical analysis: (entire nut: water-2.3 per cent; protein- 

 13.0 per cent; fat-34.0 per cent; nitrogen-free extract-7.8 per cent; 

 fiber-40.8 per cent; ash-2.1 per cent; calories per pound-1820 

 (Hosley, 1938). 



Wild Strawberries {Fragaria spp.) 



Species utilized: There are two species of wild strawberries in the 

 Northeast, both of them common. Stomach analysis reports give all 

 strawberry as Fragaria sp. No doubt both F. virginiana, and F. vesca 

 var. americann are utilized although only the former has been 

 identified. 



Seasonal importance: The fruit is a major summer food of both 

 adults and chicks. The leaves are eaten throughout the year, often 

 constituting a significant item at any season for young and old. 

 They are most important in summer, secondly, in winter. 



Parts used: Fruit, leaves, and flowers. 



Geographical importance: From the records there is some indica- 

 tion that the strawberry is less important in New England than in 

 New York and Pennsylvania. This is probably not actually true. 



