THE WINTER FOOD OF THE CHICKADEE 



89 



Dr. L. O. Howard as belonging to some species of the family Reduvii- 

 (icE, making 2 per cent. ; three small larvce, apparently of the order 

 Uiptera, i per cent. ; fragments of sumach berries, 2 per cent., and 

 undetermined material, 10 per cent. 



The next specimen was taken De- 

 cember 9th in an apple tree, it having 

 previously been followed through a 

 mixed growth of young pines, maple, 

 willow, and birches. The stomach 

 was nearly full of the eggs of aphides, 

 429 of these being counted in the 

 mass ; they were estimated to form 70 

 per cent, of the stomach contents. 

 There were also present a small moth, 

 4 per cent. ; a Carabid beetle, 5 per 

 cent. ; a snout beetle, 4 per cent. ; 

 two insect larvae, 4 per cent. ; an egg 

 of the fall canker worm,i per cent. ; 

 feathers a trace, and undetermined 

 material, i per cent. 



The first specimens collected in Jan- 

 uary were taken on the 19th at 2 p. m., 

 and consisted of four birds which had 

 just passed through a young growth 

 of grey birches, apple and maple trees 

 growing in a neglected pasture. Three 

 of these had eaten largely of vegetable 

 matter which was doubtfully identified 

 as the buds of some small plant ; this 

 material constituted 70 per cent, in 

 two of the specimens and 75 per cent. 

 in the third. The first bird had eaten 

 in addition the following : Three in- 

 sect larvae, i per cent. ; about 45 in- 

 sect eggs, 5 per cent. ; undetermined fig. 5. Eggs of Fall Canker Worm 

 insects, 2 per cent. ;^ small seeds, 6 on Elm Twig. (Chickadees feed 

 per cent. ; undetermined material, 8 freely on these Eggs.) 

 per cent. The second specimen had 



a somewhat similar record, except that 6 per cent, of aphid eggs had 

 been eaten. The third had eaten a large geometrid larva, forming 5 per 

 cent of the food. The fourth chickadee of this lot had partaken of a 

 somewhat different food from the other three. The principal item in 

 its bill of fare consisted of material which was believed to be the skins 

 of apples hanging from the trees, making 40 per cent, of the total 

 food; plant-lice eggs formed 6 per cent.; eggs of fall canker worm, 4 

 per cent. ; a lepidopterous larva, 10 per cent. ; a large bud of a decid- 

 uous tree or shrub, 8 per cent. ; small buds, 6 per cent. ; and material 

 not determined, 26 per cent. 



Two chickadees were taken in Durham among some grey birches on 

 the banks of the Oyster River at 10 A. M., February 14th. Both had 



