THE VEGETABLE FOOD OF BIRDS. 



33 



on accouni of their ixTsisteiicc. The various sorls of siiiiiacli 

 berries fall in tliis class. These berries remain throughout 

 (lie winter as they grew, and during the season of want add 

 materially to the food supply of northern birds. Ruffed 

 grouse, crows, jays, woodpeckers, nuthatches, and chickadees 

 fre(|U(^ntly partake of them when the ground is covered with 

 snow. Brown thrashers, cat-birds, mocking-birds, bhu'birds, 

 robins, and even kingbirds eat them at times, though prob- 

 ably never to any considerable extent. It is interestiiii;- to 



CEDAR-BERRIES. 



note in passing that the berries of the poison-ivy and poison- 

 sumach are eaten as freely as those of any other species of 

 e({ual abundance. 



The small liard berries of the red cedar and juniper con- 

 Iribute to the livelihood of practically tlie same company. 

 They are esi)ecially souglit by cedar-birds and are evidently 

 enjoyed l)y purple finches, pine grosbeaks, and myrtle war- 

 ])lers : the latter bird, however, depends in cold weather 

 luore upon bayberries than anything else. In fact, it gets 

 its name from one of the vernacular names of the shrub that 



3 



