1 68 Indian Museum Notes. [Vol. IV. 



insects. Two additional stomachs from the same locality contained 

 palmetto, berries, fragments of crickets {Nemobius and Oracharis 

 saltator), a palmetto ant [Camponotus escuriens) and numerous joints 

 of a myriapod, probably Julus} 



Dr. Townend Glover found in the stomach of a Red-bellied Wood- 

 pecker killed in December " pieces of acorns, seeds, and gravel, but 

 no insects. Another, shot in December, contained wing-cases of 

 Buprestts, and a species of wasp or Polistes, acorns, seeds, and no 

 bark. A third, shot in May, was filled with seeds, pieces of bark 

 and insects, among which was an entire Lachnosterna, or May 

 bug."2 



The vegetable food of the Red-bellied Woodpecker contained in 

 the 22 stomachs examined by the division consisted of the following 

 seeds and fruits :— 



Fruit — continued. 



Saw palmetto {Sabal serrulata). 



Holly {Ilex opaca). 



Wild sarsaparilla {Aralia midi- 



caulis). 

 Bayberries {Myrica cerifera). 

 Pine (Pinus echinata). 

 Poison ivy (Rhus radicans). 

 Ragweed (Atnbrosia sp,). 



Grains— 

 Corn, 



Fruit — 



Mulberries {Morus rubra). 

 Wild grapes {Vitis cordifolia). 

 Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quin- 



quefolia). 

 Elderberries (Sambucus canadensis). 

 Rough-leaved cornel {Cornus asperi- 

 folia). 



Corn was found in only two stomachs. The other items were well 

 distributed, and none of them appear to be specially preferred, unless 

 it may be the poison ivy, which was found in six stomachs, and 

 amounted to nearly 12 per cent, of the whole food. Although eight of 

 the 22 birds were collected in Florida, no trace of the pulp of oranges 

 was discovered, but that oranges are eaten by them is shown by the 

 following interesting notes.: — 



Dr. B. H, Warren states that in Florida the Red-bellied Wood- 

 pecker is commonly known as * Orange Sap-sucker * and 'Orange 

 borer.' Dr. Warren collected 26 of these woodpeckers in an orange 

 grove near Volusia and found that 1 1 of them contained orange 

 pulp. Three contained nothing else; the others had eaten also 

 insects and berries. 



Corroborating Dr. Warren's account, Mr. William Brewster 

 states that at Enterprise, Fla., in February 1889, he saw a Red- 

 bellied Woodpecker eating the pulp of a sweet orange. Mr. Brewster 

 states that the woodpecker attacked the orange on the ground, peck- 

 ing at it in a slow and deliberate way for several minutes. On 

 examining the orange it was found to be decayed on one side. " In 

 the sound portion were three holes, each nearly as large as a silver 



1 birds of Pennsylvania, 2nd. ed., iSyo, pp. 174, 175. 

 " U. S. Agricultural Repoit for 1865, 1866, p. 3S, 



