8 



BULLETIN" 1249, U. S. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 



and amounted to 7 per cent of the summer food. Seeds of conifers 

 (particularly spruce) amounted to 12.37 per cent, and weed seed to 

 19.97 per cent of the contents of these stomachs. Wild fruits of 

 many kinds enter into the diet at this season and amount to 32.8 

 per cent. Buds of deciduous trees, mast, and miscellaneous items 

 complete the list of vegetable matter. 



The animal food was very finely comminuted and could not be 

 specifically identified. Grasshoppers, ants, spiders, and caterpillars 

 constituted the bulk of it (15.08 per cent), and small flies and beetles 

 the remainder. 



Conclusions. — The pine grosbeak has only one questionable habit, 

 that of eating buds. Examination of 394 stomachs shows that a large 

 portion of the buds taken are coniferous, of no economic importance ; 

 these, with wild fruit, furnish this bird ' practically all its food. 

 The high percentage of wild fruit taken indicates that if this species 

 should come within reach of cultivated small fruits, these would 

 probably suffer. Under present conditions this is not likely to 

 happen, and the species should be protected because of its beauty 

 and the interest aroused by its appearance. 



Food items of the pine grosbeak, identified to the genus or species, as determined 

 by the examination of 894 stomachs. 



[The figures indicate the number of stomachs in wlMch the items were found.] 



VSGETABUE FOOD. 



Buds. 



Pinaceae. 



Pinus sp. (pine) 168 



Salicaceae. 



Salix sp. (willow) 11 



Aceraceae. 



A cer sp. (maple) 2 



Seeds and fruits. 



Pinaceae. 



Pinus flexilis (limber pine) — 1 



Picea sp. (spruce) 3 



Juniperus virginiana ( red- 

 cedar) 3 



Thuja sp. (arbprvitae) 1 



Cyperaceae. 



Carex sp. (sedge) 2 



Smilacacae. 



Smilax sp. (greenbrier) 1 



Iridaeeae. 



Iris sp. (iris) 1 



Polygonaceae. 



Rumex sp. (dock) 1 



Polygonum sp. (smartweed) — 21 

 Amarantbaceae. 



Amaranthus sp. (pigweed) 1 



Portulacaceae. 



Montia sp. ( water - chick- 

 weed) 2 



Papaveraceae. 



Argemone sp. ( prickly poppy) _ 1 

 Brassicaceae. 



Brassica sp. (mustard) 1 



Barbarea sp. (winter cress) _ 51 



Grossulariaceae. 



Ribes sp. (currant) 1 



Rosaceae. 



Potentilla sp. (cinquefoil) 2 



Fragaria sp. (strawberry) 2 



Rubus sp. (blackberry) 212 



Malaceae. 



Sorbus sp. (mountain-ash) 15 



Amdanchier sp. ( service- 

 berry) 2 



Crataegus sp. (redhaw) 19 



Amygdalaceae. 



Prunus sp. (wild cherry and 



plum) 2 



Empetraceae. 



Empetrum nigrum (crow- 

 berry) , 2,4 



Anacardiaceae. 



Rhus glabra, (smooth sumac)- 1 

 Aceraceae. 



Acer sp. (maple) 23 



Elaeagnaceae. 



Lepargyrea canadensis ( buf- 

 faloberry) 2 



Lepargyrea, argentea (buf- 



faloberry) 1 



Araliaceae. 



Aralia nudicaulis (wild sar- 



saparilla) 2 



Cornaceae. 



Cornus canadensis (bunch- 

 berry) 14 



Cornus sp. (dogwood) 26 



Ericaceae. 



Rhododendron lapponicum 1 



