USEFUL BIRDS. i131 
collar or cravat on breast in form of a crescent; all but the central 
tail feathers showing considerable white. Length, ten to eleven 
inches. It nests upon the ground. Analyses of stomach contents 
give interesting results: Two hundred and thirty-eight stomachs 
examined contained seventy-three per cent animal matter, and 
twenty-seven per cent vegetable, the latter being found in the win- 
ter. The animal food consisted of insects of ground species— 
beetles, bugs, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and a few flies, wasps, and 
spiders. A number of the stomachs were taken from birds killed 
when the ground was largely covered with snow, but still contained 
a large percentage of insects. Crickets and grasshoppers constitute 
twenty-nine per cent of the entire year’s food, and sixty-nine per 
cent of the food in August. Twenty-one per cent of beetles was 
found, of which about one-third were predaceous ground beetles; 
the others all harmful species. In May caterpillars constitute over 
twenty-eight per cent of the whole food, with a large number of 
cutworms. Grain makes up fourteen per cent, and weed and other 
seeds, twelve per cent. 
MARYLAND YELLOW THROAT. 
(Plate 3, Fig. 15.) 
This beautiful warbler is one of the most attractive of the fam- 
ily. It perhaps is not as useful as many others because of its some- 
what shy habits and the environment of its nest. It is, nevertheless, 
thoroughly insectivorous and as such, and because of its beauty, en- 
titled to our friendship. The male has a jet black band across 
forehead and over the cheeks; remainder of upper parts and tail, 
olive green; throat and chest, bright yellow. Nests frequently on 
the ground; eggs. white, speckled. Found throughout the United 
States east of the Great Plains. We have found it common in the 
Red River Valley. It may be regarded as fairly common throughout 
most of Minnesota, but not conspicuous on account of its retiring 
habits. 
CEDAR BIRD: CEDAR WAXWING, OR “CHERRY BIRD.” 
(Plater3 hiazal6.) 
This beautiful bird is about seven inches long, the tips of the 
secondary feathers in wing and frequently the tail feathers with tips 
resembling red sealing wax; hence the above name. The head and 
upper parts, a warm grayish brown; a conspicuous crest; a jet 
black line across forehead and through eyes; a yellow band across 
tail at its end; yellowish below. 
