RED-BELLIED WOODPECKER. 



25 



The vegetable food of the Bedhead presents considerable variety, 

 and shows some points of difference from that of the other wood- 

 peckers. The following is the list of substances identified: 



Graiu ; 



Corn. 

 Fruit : 



Dogwood berries ( Cornua candidissima 

 and C.florida). 



Huckleberries (Gaylussacia). 



Strawberries (Fragaria). 



Blackberries or raspberries (Buhus). 



Mulberries (Moras). 



Elderberries (Sambacus). 



Wild black oberries (Pj'mbms serolina). 



Choke cherries {Prunus virginiana) . 



Cultivated cherries. 



Wild grapes ( Fitis cordifolia). 



Fruit — Continued. 



Apples. 



Pears. 



Unidentified. 

 Miscellaneous : 



Sumac seeds (Bhua copalUna and B. 

 glabra). 



Ragweed seeds {Ambrosia) . 



Pigweed seeds (CJienopodium). 



Acorns {Quercus). 



Seeds unidentified. 



Galls. 



Flower anthers. 



Rubbish. 



Corn was found in 17 stomachs, collected from May to September, 

 inclusive, and amounted to more than 7 jDercent of all the food. 

 While it seems to be eaten in any condition, that taken in the late sum- 

 mer was in the milk, and evidently picked from standing ears. This 

 being the largest percentage of grain shown by any of the 7 species 

 corroborates some of the testimony received, and indicates that the 

 Bedhead, if sufficiently abundant, might do considerable damage to 

 the growing crop, particularly if other food was not at hand. While 

 the fruit list is not so long as in the case of the Flicker, it includes 

 more kinds that are, or may be, cultivated; and the quantity found in 

 the stomachs, a little more than 33 percent of all the food, is greater 

 than iu any of the others. Strawberries were found in 1 stomach, 

 blackberries or raspberries in 15, cultivated cherries in 2, apples in 4, 

 and pears in 6. Fruit pulp was found in 33 stomachs, and it is almost 

 certain that a large part of this was obtained from some of the larger 

 cultivated varieties. Seeds were found in but few stomachs, and only 

 a small number in each. 



RED-BELLIED ■WOODPECKER 



(Melanerpes carolinus.) 



The Bed-bellied Woodpecker is a more southern species than any of 

 the others treated in this bulletin. It is not known to breed north of 

 the Carolinian fauna, and is abundant in Florida and the Gulf States. 

 Curiously enough it sometimes migrates north of its breeding range to 

 spend the winter. 



Only 22 stomachs of this species have been obtained by the division. 

 These were collected in 9 States, ranging from Florida to Michigan and 

 from Maryland to Kansas, and in every month except April, June, and 

 July. An examination of their stomachs shows : animal matter (insects) 



