420 University of California Publications in Zoology [VOL. 11 



In all cases the stomach contents were preserved in vials, so 

 that verification of the results will be possible at any time. As 

 a rule, the contents have been preserved by drying, but where 

 certain animal matter such as larvae was present the material 

 has been preserved in seventy per cent alcohol. 



After each examination the kind and quantity of food was 

 recorded on a stomach blank. Complete data were recorded on 

 larger blanks. Summaries giving the results of the examinations 

 of the different collections were made in the form of tables. 



IDENTIFICATION OF STOMACH CONTENTS 



Collections of insects and seeds for comparison were most 

 helpful in identifying the different insects and seeds. Insects 

 and seeds, if in good condition, can be determined at least to 

 the genus by this method. Floating out the wings of certain 

 insects in water and the mounting of other parts in some clearing 

 fluid are methods which have had to be resorted to occasionally. 



In the examination of a large series of stomachs it is nearly 

 always possible to obtain a fairly good specimen of an insect 

 which is commonly taken as food, for some bird is usually found 

 which has taken such an insect just before being killed. 



FOOD OF THE WESTERN MEADOWLARK IN CALIFORNIA 



The food of the western meadowlark is made up of both 

 vegetable and animal matter. The vegetable food is largely com- 

 posed of grain and seeds. The animal food is made up largely 

 of insects. The accompanying diagram (fig. B) shows the rela- 

 tive amounts of the different kinds of food taken during the year. 

 A discussion of each kind of food is followed by a statement of 

 the "amount destroyed" and the "economic importance." 



VEGETABLE FOOD 

 Grain 



Grain forms the largest percentage (seventy-five per cent) of 

 the vegetable food for the year and makes up thirty and eight- 

 tenths per cent of the total food for the year. But a small part 

 (one per cent) of that found in the stomachs has been sprouted. 



