728 EXPERIMENT STATION RECORD. 



Of the red winged blackbird 725 stomachs were examined that 

 showed vegetable food to the extent of 74 per cent. In 238 stomachs 

 of the meadow lark 73 per cent of animal matter was found, which con- 

 sisted in season largely of crickets and grasshoppers. 



The Baltimore oriole is shown by an examination of 113 stomachs to 

 feed largely (34 per cent) upon caterpillars. During its stay within the 

 borders of the United States only about 16 per cent of its food consists 

 of vegetable matter. 



Of the crow blackbird 2,258 stomachs were examined, which showed 

 that nearly one-third of its food consists of insects, and that it some- 

 times eats snails, crayfish, salamanders, small fish, and mice. Only 0.5 

 per cent of its food consists of the remains of birds and their eggs. 



Several sparrows were examined, and while it is acknowledged that 

 they are primarily seed eaters, it is noted that with 3 species — the song 

 sparrow (Melospiza sp.), chipping sparrow (Spisella socialis), and field 

 sparrow {Spizella pusilla) — at least about one- third of their food consists 

 of insects. 



The snowbird (Junco hyemalis), as shown by an examination of many 

 stomachs, consumes daily about \ oz. of weed seeds. Assuming that 

 the birds average 10 to each square mile and that they remain in their 

 winter range 200 days, the snowbirds visiting Iowa consume 875 tons 

 of weed seeds in a single season. 



The rose breasted grosbeak is highly commended for the good it has 

 done in destroying the potato beetle. Relative to the cliff swallow, the 

 author claims that it is a mistake to tear down its nest, since it forms a 

 picturesque rather than a disfiguring addition to a building. 



The cedar bird, as shown by 152 stomachs, lives almost wholly (87 

 per cent) upon a vegetable diet which consists mostly of fruit. Only 

 ]3 per cent of its food consists of cultivated fruit. This amount was 

 found in only 9 stomachs out of 41 examined during the months of June 

 and July. 



Two hundred and thirteen stomachs of the catbird showed that the 

 proportion of vegetable to animal food is as 56 to 44. It is noted that 

 it is only in the Western States, where trees are scarce, that the catbird 

 is seen to any great extent about orchards and gardens. 



The brown thrasher, as shown by an examination of 121 stomachs, 

 eats a larger proportion (64 per cent) of animal food. 



As shown by an examination of 52 stomachs, the house wren lives 

 almost wholly (98 per cent) upon insects. On the other hand, accord- 

 ing to an examination of 330 stomachs, the animal food of the robin 

 amounts to only 42 per cent. Of the 58 per cent of vegetable food, 47 

 per cent consists of wild fruits. 



The food of the bluebird, as shown by an examination of 205 stom- 

 achs, consists of 76 per cent of animal and 24 per cent of vegetable 

 matter. In the former there were found 28 per cent of beetles, 22 

 of grasshoppers, and 11 of caterpillars. Besides, there was a large 



