Vol. XV 



I'xys^^] '^■\K^n:Ksn>;, Food of A^u/Z/dic/ics fu/f/ Chirkadees. 14 r 



called the gizzard. This was removed and the contents carefully 

 washed into a glass dish, in which it was spread out and exam- 

 ined under a dissecting microscope. The per cent of matter was 

 determined by dividing the whole contents into various equal parts 

 of the different components, as accurately as possible. In many 

 instances the food was so finely divided that only its most general 

 nature could be ascertained, and hence a stomach was often 

 tabled as containing only one insect of a certain order when it 

 doubtless contained the parts of many more, which were indistin- 

 guishable. Prof. E. H. Forbush states that Chickadees frequently 

 pick out only the internal organs of larviE, and as these are easily 

 digested and not individually recognizable, such work would es- 

 cape observation. The seeds were kindly determined, as far as 

 their mutilated condition would permit, by Prof. C. F. Wheeler and 

 Prof. W. B. Barrows, while many of the eggs were identified by 

 Prof. Th. Pergande of the Division of Entomology, U. S. Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture, to all of whom I wish to express my indebt- 

 edness. Very little of the insect food could be named further 

 than given, with any degree of accuracy, and often it was impos- 

 sible to determine anything below the order. 



The specimens were all collected within a radius of five miles 

 from the college. Record w^as kept of the sex, but no difference 

 in the feeding habits was noticed, although most of the Nut- 

 hatches were secured in pairs. Notes upon the weather were also 

 kept, but specimens were secured under all conditions, — both 

 during a bright February thaw and a March snow-storm, and 

 except as caused by the ground being covered with snow, no 

 difference could be seen, save as noted between different periods. 

 Neither did the time of day seem to cause any variation. 



WHITE-BELLIED NUTHATCH. {Sitta cafoHfiensis Lath.). 



Thirty-four stomachs were secured, of which 23 were collected 

 during the winter season (Jan. 14 to Feb. 24), snow covering the 

 ground much of the time ; while the last eleven were secured 

 during the spring (April 10-17), before the foliage was out. The 

 contents were tabulated and two totals made, showing the differ, 

 ence in seasons. I had wished to secure specimens during the 



