FOOD HABITS OF THRUSHES. 9 



VEERY AND WILLOW THRUSH. 



{Hylocichla fuscescens fuscescens and Hylocichla fuscescens salicicola.) 



The veery is distributed over the eastern portion of the United 

 States during migration and breeds in the Northern States as far 

 south as Pennsylvania, and in New England and Canada. In win- 

 ter it disappears almost entirely from the country, only a few re- 

 maining in Florida and perhaps in other Southern States. Its 

 western representative is the willow thrush. Like other thrushes, 

 birds of this species are shy and retiring in disposition, keeping for 

 the most part in the shade of woods or bushy swamps, or building 

 nests in a damp ravine with a brook gurgling past. They have been 

 known, however, to visit orchards and sometimes gardens which are 

 not kept too trim. It is thus evident that the food has little direct 

 economic interest, as this bird does not come in contact with the 

 farmer's crops. 



For investigating the food of the species 176 stomachs were avail- 

 able. They were collected during the seven months from April to 

 October, and represent 18 States, the District of Columbia, and 

 Canada. The food separates into 57.27 per cent of animal matter 

 and 42.73 per cent of vegetable. The former consists mostly of 

 remains of insects, and the latter of fruit. 



Animal food. — Predacious ground beetles (Carabidse) amount to 

 0.82 per cent. They are evidently not a preferred food. Beetles in 

 general comprise 14.67 per cent of the food, but no family or other 

 group appears to be distinguished except the Carabidee, which are 

 conspicuous bj their absence. Weevils, or snout beetles, amount 

 to 2.49 per cent, and one stomach contained a specimen of the notori- 

 ous plum curculio (C onotrachelus nenuphar). A number of other 

 harmful beetles were noted, but none are so well known as the plum 

 destroyer. Ants make up 10.35 per cent and are eaten with great 

 regularity. Hymenoptera other than ants amount to only 3.26 per 

 cent, but are eaten regularly throughout the season. Hemiptera 

 (bugs) were eaten to a small extent (1.30 per cent) in the first four 

 months, but they are not seen after July. Exactly the same may be 

 said of Diptera, which total only 0.85 per cent. 



Lepidoptera (caterpillars) are, next to Hymenoptera, the favorite 

 insect food. They were eaten in goodly quantities in every month 

 except October. The average for the season is 11.91 per cent. Grass- 

 hoppers appear to some extent in every month except April, the 

 greatest consumption taking place in October (24 per cent), but as 

 only small numbers are eaten in the earlier months the aggregate for 

 the year is only 4.91 per cent. A few other insects of various orders 

 9S551 — Bull. 2S0— 15 2 



