FOOD OP SOME WELL-KNOWN BIKDS. 23 



stomachs and in 5 there was nothing else. They aggregated- 31.27 

 per cent of the food. Lepidoptera amounted to 6.59 per cent of 

 the diet. They consisted of moths found in 8 stomaclis and cater- 

 pillars found in 31. It is worthy of note that larvae of the codling 

 moth {Carpocdpsa pomoTiella) were found in 3 stomachs and were 

 probably contained in a number of others, but not recognizable. 

 It is not impossible that some of the adult moths were of this species 

 also, but too badly crushed for identification. Orthoptera were 

 found in 2 stomachs and amounted to 0.62 per cent of the food. 

 Raphidia and a few unidentified insects made up 0.71 per cent. 

 Spiders were contained in 20 stomachs and amounted to 4.48 per 

 cent, the remainder of the animal food. 



Vegetable food. — Vegetable matter was found in 19 stomachs. In 

 1 were a few seeds of Rubus (blackberry or raspberry), in 9 were 

 seeds of Sambucus (elderberry) , and in 2, skins of fruit not further 

 identified; in 1, a seed of tar weed [Madia), and in 7, rubbish. 



Summary. — In the foregoing discussion of the food of the western 

 yellow-bellied fly-catcher it is evident that its good qualities far out- 

 weigh the bad — if indeed it can be said to have any bad ones. It 

 eats predaceous beetles, but the percentage is so small that no great 

 harm can be done. The other insects are mostly those that we are 

 glad to lose. On the other hand, the bird is too small to injure fruit 

 or grain, and it is of a confiding and domestic nature, inclined to 

 live about the abodes of man, where it can do the most good. — • 

 F. E. L. B. 



HORNED LARK. 



(OtocoriH nlprntrifi.) 



Horned larks (fig. 10) are small but hardy birds which frequent 

 the open country and never live in forests. They range over prac- 

 tically the whole United States and are easily recognized by the con- 

 spicuous black mark across the breast and the small pointed tufts of 

 dark-colored feathers behind the eyes. These are often erected and 

 cause the appearance referred to in the common name. These birds 

 nest early, often before all the snow has disappeared, and they have a 

 joyous flight song in the mating season. 



The food of horned larks, exclusive of those of southern Cali- 

 fornia, consists of 20.6 per cent of animal and 79.4 per cent of 

 vegetable matter. Not quite a sixth of the vegetable food is grain, 

 mostly waste, though some sprouting grain is pulled. This is the 

 most serious charge against the birds and is sustained, but it must 

 be admitted that practically all the complaints were made years ago, 

 when broadcast sowing was the rule. Recent correspondence shows 

 that drilled grain is practically safe from injury. 



506 



