PACIFIC VARIED THRUSH 89 



gray edgings. A black pectoral band, somewhat veiled with gray, 

 orange tinged." This is, approximately, the handsome adult plum- 

 age, which becomes only slightly grayer by wear before spring; the 

 birds probably breed in this plumage. The female in first winter 

 plumage, as in the adult plumage, is much duller in coloration, the 

 upper parts grayer, the lower parts paler and all the markings paler, 

 duller, and less distinct, the pectoral band being gray instead of black. 



The complete first postnuptial molt, the following summer, pro- 

 duces little change, though the colors are somewhat deeper and richer 

 than the spring colors, the feathers of the upperparts are at first in- 

 distinctly margined with olive, and the pectoral band of the male 

 may be broader and blacker. 



The partial postjuvena/1 molt of young birds and the complete 

 postnuptial molt of adults is apparently completed in August. 



Food. — Professor Beal (1915b) writes: "The varied thrush appears 

 to be a pronounced ground feeder, and the stomachs show an unusual 

 quantity of such food as thousand-legs, sow bugs, snails, and angle- 

 worms; but spiders are rarely eaten." Only 58 stomachs were exam- 

 ined, taken in the months from October to April, inclusive; this anal- 

 ysis, therefore, indicates only the winter food. Beetles aggregate 4.46 

 percent of the food; ants comprise 4.08 percent, and other Hymenop-- 

 tera (bees and wasps) 2.24 percent; Hemiptera (bugs) amount to 1.09 

 percent, Diptera (flies) 1.47 percent, Lepidoptera (caterpillars) 2.18 

 percent, Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) 1.99 percent, and all 

 other insects to 1.18 percent of the food. Spiders amount to only 

 0.10 percent; myriapods (thousand-legs) are more popular and are 

 taken to the extent of 3.08 percent. Earthworms, snails, and sow bugs 

 collectively amount to 3.97 percent of the food. The total animal food 

 shown in this analysis is only 25.85 percent of the whole, as against 

 74.15 percent of vegetable food. Probably the percentage of animal 

 food would be higher in the summer months. 



"The vegetable food of the varied thrush coasists of fruit, weed 

 seed, and mast, with some unidentifiable matter." Mast, mostly 

 acorns, was found in 16 stomachs and amounted to 76.71 percent in 

 November, when acorns were abundant, fresh fruit was not obtainable, 

 and insects were scarce. Unidentified seeds averaged 16.78 percent 

 for each of the winter months, and were found in 10 stomachs. Culti- 

 vated fruit amounted to only 3.63 percent, while wild fruits and 

 berries made up 23.21 percent of the food. Snowberries were found in 

 six stomachs, apple in three, California honeysuckle in two, and 

 juniper berries, wheat, amaranth, blackberries or raspberries, filaree, 

 pepperberries, poison-oak, sumac, buckthorn, and black nightshade 

 were identified in one stomach each, in the form of fruit or seeds. 



792825 — 49 7 



