Food and Water 121 



Laurel {Kalmia spp.) 



Species utilized: Mountain laurel (K. latifolia), and narrow-leaved 

 or sheep laurel (K. angustijolia) ; the former is more important by 

 far from southern New York and south, the latter is more important, 

 if only a secondary food, in New England. 



Seasonal importance: Eaten during fall, winter and early spring, 

 by far most important during the winter when green leaves of most 

 plants are lacking. 



Parts used: Leaves primarily, buds and flower capsules to some 

 extent. 



Geographical importance: Mountain laurel is an important winter 

 food from the Catskills of southeastern New York southward, in- 

 creasing in importance to the south. In Virginia it was found in 

 nearly half the late fall and early winter stomachs and amounted to 

 almost eight per cent of the volume of food. It probably increases 

 in importance later in the winter. The narrow-leaved, or sheep 

 laurel, is used from New York through New England but apparently 

 is not ordinarily taken in significant amounts. 



The laurels are low-to-medium evergreen shrubs found in acid 

 soils in the woodland understory and along woods margins. The 

 leathery leaves are poisonous to domestic livestock but apparently 

 have no ill effects on grouse or on deer if not taken to the exclusion 

 of other foods (Van Dersal, 1938). 



Canada Mayflower {Maianthemum canadense) 



Seasonal importance: Fall, winter and spring, with somewhat 

 greater volume taken in winter even though less available at that 

 time. 



Parts used: Fruits. 



Geographical importance: From the stomach records it appears 

 that Maianthemum is used only in New York and New England, al- 

 though the plant ranges much farther south. The fact that Penn- 

 sylvania and Virginia records taken during the season when the 

 plant is readily eaten farther north fail to show any trace of it 

 substantiates this conclusion. 



Canada mayflower (also called two-leaved false Solomon's seal, 



