140 The Rufled Grouse 



chokeberry appears to be used most in New England and black 

 chokeberry ( see Plate 29A ) in New York. 



Aster (Aster): The leaves of asters, species not identified, are used 

 as a fall and early winter food from New York to Virginia. They 

 composed three and tliree-tenths per cent of the November-Decem- 

 ber food in Virginia (Nelson) and appear to be more important in 

 the South than in the North. 



Barberries ( Berberis ) : The fruit of both the European and Thun- 

 berg barberries is eaten to some extent during the winter in New 

 York and New England. It composed three and six-tenths per cent 

 of the total fall-and-winter food in Massachusetts and one and two- 

 tenths per cent in Rhode Island, with lesser amounts from New 

 Hampshire to New York ( Hosley ) . MacGregor found it to compose 

 one and five-tenths per cent of the October food in New Hampshire. 



Blue beech ( Carpinus caroliniana ) : Both buds ( see Plate 20C ) . 

 and seeds are taken in late fall and winter, the buds being the more 

 important. Parts of this plant composed four and one-tenth per cent 

 of the winter food in New York ( December eight and seven-tenths 

 per cent, January three and one-tenth per cent, February four and 

 five-tenths per cent (Kelso); three per cent of fall-and-winter 

 food in New York (Hosley), two and five-tenths per cent of year- 

 round food in New York outside the mountains (Darrow). In other 

 states blue beech products appear to be Httle used, although they 

 have been recorded in grouse food from Virginia to New Hamp- 

 shire. 



Chestnut (Castanea dentata): An important food prior to the 

 sweep of the chestnut blight (Judd, Smyth), now no longer signifi- 

 cant. As late as 1923, Smyth found that it composed one and four- 

 tenths per cent of the October food in tlie Northeast. It is noted here 

 as a matter of history, and a hope for the future. 



Climbing bittersweet (Celastrus scandens) : (see Plate 29B). The 

 fruit is eaten during fall and winter from New York to New Hamp- 

 shire. It composed one per cent of the fall and winter diet in New 

 Hampshire (Hosley) and over one per cent of the winter food in 

 the Northeast (Bi-1297). 



Beech-drops ( Epifagus virginiana ) : Seeds composed one and one- 

 tenth per cent of October food in the Northeast ( Smyth ) . 



Trailing arbutus (Epigaea repcns): Leaves and buds are eaten 

 in fall and winter; they composed one and two-tenths per cent of the 



