452 University of California Publications in Zoology [VOL. 11 



collected in grain fields, and yet the only time when they turned 

 to grain was in the winter, when the numbers of insects were at a 

 minimum. Evidently grain fields furnish an abundant supply 

 of animal food during most of the year. The maximum con- 

 sumption of animal food is in June and the minimum in January. 

 The minimum of animal food corresponds necessarily to the 

 maximum in vegetable food. 



The diagram showing the proportion of the two kinds of food 

 of birds taken in the vicinity of San Bernardino (fig. D) lacks 

 some of the inaccuracies to be noted in the former diagram. The 

 maximum consumption of animal food is in April instead of 

 May, due to the difference in climatic conditions. The birds 

 taken in this locality, although collected largely in grain fields, 

 consumed an unusually large proportion of animal food during 

 1911, more, in fact, than any other series of birds collected in 

 southern California. 



The amounts of food taken by meadowlarks collected every 

 two weeks at Newman, Stanislaus County (fig. E), also clearly 

 brings out the change in food habits from one part of the year to 

 another. 



The averages of the different kinds of food for the year do 

 not change greatly from one year to another. The time of year 

 when the different kinds of food reach a maximum in the diet 



Fig. D. Diagram showing change of food habits of the western mead- 

 owlark from month to month. Note that the maximum consumption of 

 animal food is in April and May. Computed from stomach examinations 

 of an average of six birds collected each month in a year at San Bernar- 

 dino, San Bernardino County, California. 



