SPARROW FAMILY. "7 
Geranium (Geranium dissectum)...........220000 2c eee cece eee eee 18 
Black mustard (Brassica nigra).........-2- 0202-02002 c cece eee cece eee e eee 3 
California poppy (Eschscholtzia californica)..........0..000020 202 e cece eee eee eee 1 
Miner’s lettuce (Montia perfoliata)........-22220 0002 2c cece ccc eee eee eee 29 
Red maids (Calandrinia menziest).....-..2--2222000ccee eee cece cee ee eeeeeee 4 
Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) ...-....---222220 220222 eee e eee eeeee 4 
Pigweed (Chenopodium album)....-....2--2--2--202000 cece eee eee cece edcree eas 12 
Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retroflecus)......--- 20-22-2020 e cee eee eee 208 
Spurry (Spergula arvensis) .......-..2- 2-02 e cee eee eee ee 10 
Chickweed (Stellaria media) .........22022200 2020 eee e eee eee e teen ees 16 
Catchfly ((Stlene spin) ewes cscereetie 2 sce ccsarsin dna « Aggie de oes vee Guede oe eee Eee 29 
Knotweed (Polygonum sp.)....-..--.--0- 220-022 e eee eee eee ee eee eee 76 
Sorrell (RuMev isp 7) oso ceccetetiecrseecrsic ate ceneen is Som eens Se ee orem meneame ere 18 
Brome grass (Bromus sp.)..-..- ee Sik soca doy a renege Anse: Groaees 20 
Wild oats (Avena fattia):. 00 cc.c2cecicdecscsle cage ee cain ee eeeeee eee eee eee ee 34 
Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis).......---+-+2++-202 2222 c eee e eee e eee eee 2 
Johnson grass (Andropogon sorghum)........---22-+-22-22-2 cece cece eee ee eeeeeeee 1 
Sedge (Carex sp.)....----------- te aint Rec senesced ath ecm Rite eee tui endows 11 
Unidentified 2. mecceeusvicedrei ie ened yea ae owed cag ge cba cae Sa eines 168 
As this bird takes a great deal of gravel, the seeds eaten are soon 
ground into paste, which renders specific identification impossible. 
Many stomachs were entirely filled with food in this condition, which 
accounts for the large amount of unidentified material. Very few 
whole seeds were unidentified. The white-crown is evidently fond 
of variety, for several stomachs contained as many as 9 different 
species of seeds. It will be noted also that rough pigweed is the 
favorite food, while the Arkansas goldfinch preferred bur thistle. 
Miscellaneous vegetable matter amounts to 5 per cent, and was 
found in 30 stomachs. Of these, 11 contained fragments of flowers, 
probably of fruit trees, for in, some cases the embryo fruit could be 
made out. This is not a very heavy indictment on the score of 
destroying buds and blossoms. Fibrous vegetable matter of uncer- 
tain origin was found in quite a number of stomachs; perhaps it was 
grass which had been subjected to the grinding action of the stomach. 
SUMMARY. 
Evidently neither the farmer nor the fruit grower has much to fear 
from the white-crowned sparrow. On the contrary the bird destroys 
some insects, all of which are harmful, and a vast number of seeds of 
noxious weeds. The little fruit it eats is mostly wild, and its grain 
eating is practically confined to the months when the only grain 
available is waste or volunteer. In the above record there is little 
to substantiate the accusation that the bird destroys fruit buds, and 
probably it is only under very exceptional circumstances that it does 
any damage in this way. 
