226 Kennedy, Fruit-eating Habits of the Sage Thrasher. [April 



short flight they change to the most silent of birds. During the 

 entire summer's observation I have heard no call of any kind and 

 on but two occasions during this period have I heard a short burst 

 of song. Their shyness also leaves them. They become as ap- 

 proachable as Robins in an eastern dooryard. They will sit and 

 without fear eat berries within a few feet of pickers. 



Immediately following the raspberries come the blackberries. 

 Both are devoured with equal readiness. Sour red berries are 

 eaten as readily as the riper black ones. The berries are eaten 



1 23 



Fig. 1. A perfect bunch of Campbell's Early grapes. 



2. Campbell's Early damaged by Sage Thrashers. 



3. A damaged cluster after having been trimmed. 



whole and because of their size many of those picked off fall to 

 the ground and are lost. After the blackberry season there is a 

 period of two or three weeks when no small fruits are ripe. During 

 this time the Thrashers stay about the ranches but content them- 

 selves with an insect diet. 



At the end of this interim, the latter part of July, the early grapes 

 begin to color. At first they pass unnoticed but by the time one 

 half of the clusters are purple the Thrashers have commenced to 

 peck them. Usually they break the skin and sip the juice but 

 occasionally a grape is eaten whole. After the feeding on grapes 

 commences the vineyard is never free from Thrashers, which fly 



