BIRDS 



179 



the year consists of animal matter (insects and their allies). 

 Prominent among these are the Colorado potato beetle, the 

 striped squash beetle, the cottonboll-weevil, grasshoppers. As a 

 weed destroyer the quail has few, if any, superiors. Moreover, 

 its habits are such that it is almost constantly on the ground, 

 where it is brought in close contact with both weed seeds and 

 ground-living insects. It is a good ranger, and, if undisturbed, will 

 patrol every day all the fields in its vicinity as it searches for food. 



FIG. 325. NIGHTINGALE, x }. FIG. 326. SKYLARK, x , 



Two celebrated European songsters. 



Doves. The food of the dove consists of seeds of weeds, 

 together with some grain. The examination of the contents of 

 237 stomachs shows that over 99 per cent of the food consists 

 wholly of vegetable matter. 



Cuckoos. An examination of the stomachs of 46 black-billed 

 cuckoos, taken during the summer months, showed the remains 

 of 906 caterpillars, 44 beetles, 96 grasshoppers, 100 sawflies, 30 

 stink bugs, and 15 spiders. Of the yellow-billed cuckoos, or 

 "rain-crow," 109 stomachs collected from May to October, in- 

 clusive, were examined. The contents consisted of 1,865 cat er- 

 pillars, 93 beetles, 242 grasshoppers, 37 sawflies, 69 bugs, 6 flies, 

 and 86 spiders. 



