154 



DA VET'S PRIMER 



THE ROSE=BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



The vegetable food of the grosbeak consists of buds 

 and blossoms of forest trees, and seeds, but the only 

 damage of which it has been accused is the stealing of 

 green peas. The writer has observed it eating peas 

 and has examined the stomachs of several that were 

 killed in the very act. The stomachs contained a few 

 peas and enough potato beetles old and young, as well 

 as other harmful insects, to pay for all the peas the 

 birds would be likely to eat in a whole season. The 

 garden where this took place adjoined a small potato 

 field which earlier in the season was so badly infested 

 with the beetles that the vines were completely riddled. 

 The grosbeaks visited the field every day, and finally 

 brought their fledged young. The young birds stood 

 in a row on the topmost rail of the fence and were fed 



ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 



