191-t] Bryant: Ecoitomic Status of tltc ^Yestcl■n Mcadoirlark 4o3 



does change. This seems natural, for weather conditions affect 

 the available food supply. Thus we find very few ants taken 

 by meadowlarks collected at Newman. Stanislaus County, in 1911, 

 but large numbers taken during the same months in 1912 (fig. E). 



Fig. E. — Diagram showing the comparative amounts of the different 

 kinds of food of the western meadowlark every two weeks during a year. 

 Computed from the results of stomach examinations of birds collected at 

 Newman, Stanislaus County, California. 



The following table gives a comparison of the amounts of 

 animal and vegetable food and the amounts of some of the 

 common elements of food taken by meadowlarks at Newman, 

 StanislaiLS County, in 1911 and in 1912. The difference in 

 amounts of animal and vegetable food is seven per cent. A large 

 increase in 1912 of the number of grasshoppers taken can be 

 noted. Seventj'-two birds from each year were examined. 



COMPAKISON OF FoOD OF MeADOWLARK FOR TwO SUCCESSIVE YEARS 



Per cent Per cent Per cent 



animal vegetable Per cent grass- Per cent Per cent 



Year food food grain hoppers beetles ants 



1911 53.5 46.5 38.4 27.5 8.5 .4 



1912 65.7 34.3 32.3 42.4 9.9 3.0 



