UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA PUBLICATIONS 



IN 



ZOOLOGY 



Vol. 11, No. 14, pp. 377-5 10, pis. 2 1-24, 5 text figs. February 27, 1914 



A DETERMINATION OF THE ECONOMIC 

 STATUS OF THE WESTERN MEADOW- 

 LARK (8 TURN ELL A NEGLECT A) 

 IN CALIFORNIA 



BY 



HAROLD CHILD BRYANT 



CONTENTS 



PAGE 



Preface 378 



Introduction 382 



History of methods in economic ornithology 389 



Investigation of the economic status of the western meadowlark 



in California 395 



A comparison of methods in economic ornithology 397 



The western meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta) 400 



Field investigation 401 



Abundance 402 



Nesting habits 404 



Depredations 404 



Experiments on captive birds 409 



Amount of food required 410 



Time of digestion 412 



Examination of the stomach contents 413 



Collection and preservation of material 413 



Material 415 



Examination of stomach contents 416 



Identification of stomach contents 420 



. Food of the western meadowlark in California 420 



Vegetable food 420 



Animal food 426 



Inorganic matter 436 



Principal articles of diet 437 



