N'egetable food. — The vegetable food may be divided into three parts: Iruit, 

 poison-oak seed*^, and miscellaneous vej^etablc matter. Fruit represents nearly 

 18 per cent, but it jirobably is not of much value. Several stomachs contained 

 pulp that could not be identified with certainty, an<l mij^ht have been that of some 

 cultivated variety. Seeds of Kubus fruits (blackberries or raspberries^ were 

 found in 12 stomachs out of the K2. These, however, are as likely to have been 

 wild as cultivated. Elderberry seeds were discovered in 10 stomachs, Cascara, 

 or coffee berries { Rhattiuus calif ornicus), in 5, and man/.anita berries in 1. The 

 seed of poison oak and a few of the nonj)oisonous species of Rhus were eaten to 

 the extent of 14 per cent of the food. They were not found in many stomachs, 

 but appear to be eaten in considerable quantities when eaten at all. The thrasher 

 must be added to the list of birds that assist in the dissemination of the seeds of 

 this noxous plant. 



The miscellaneous part of the vegetable food amounts to over 26 per cent, and 

 is made up of mast, weed seed, galls, and rubbish. The mast was not further 

 identifiable. Most of the seeds were so broken and ground up that only a few 

 species were identified. Two stomachs contained remains of grain — wheat in one 

 and corn in the other. Leaf galls were found in several stomachs, and rubbish 

 in (juitc a number, though here again it is difficult to draw the line between food 

 proper and stuff that is accidentally picked up with it. 



The song of the western thrasher is exquisitely sweet, and by some it is con- 

 sidered far superior to that of any of the numerous songsters that frequent the 

 woods and brush of the Pacific Coast. 



Because of its short wings, the movements of this thrasher are rather heavy. 

 Its flights arc short, and usually from bush to bush, while constantly opening and 

 shutting its tail. Its favorite haunts seem to be the regions of scrubby oak and 

 greasewood brush of the deep mountain gorges. Here it builds its home, which 

 "is a coarse, widely constructed platform of sticks, coarse grass, and mosses, with 

 but a very slight depression. Occasionally, however, nests of this bird are more 

 carefully and elaborately made. It is always well hid in the low scrub bushes." 



Both the sexes assist in the care of the eggs, though the male, as befits the 

 father of a family, usually stands guard over the nest, giving a quiet note of 

 warning on the approach of danger. 



879 



