SPARROW FAMILY. 81 
insect. They appear in the food during every month of the bird’s 
stay in the north except October, and probably a greater number of 
stomachs would have shown some in that month. Two stomachs 
contained pup of the codling moth. Only one stomach held grass- 
hoppers, and that was taken in June. Some spiders and eggshells 
make up nearly 1 percent, and complete the animal food. 
Vegetable food.—Grain in the shape of oats was found in 5 stomachs, 
all collected in July. The total amount for that month is 6 percent, 
or less than 1 percent for the season. A mere trace of fruit was found 
in one stomach in June. Weed seed was eaten in every month of the 
bird’s stay, and probably throughout the year. It amounts to over 
53 percent of the food, and in September rises to 98 percent. June 
was the month of least, consumption, 9 percent, when insects evidently 
took its place. The species identified, and the number of stomachs 
in which each was found, are as follows: 
Bur thistle (Centaurea melitensis)......0.0---- <0 00 oeee ee cecececeec ccc. 2 
Nightshade (Solanum nigrum).......----00-- <2 ccc cecccceecec eee. 1 
Alfllaria (Erodium cicutariwm)...0..2.0.00020 0020000 o oven eee cece. 37 
Miner’s lettuce ( Montia POV OUOIA) 5 2.2 secs cesarean cia ceayesniaca’ alee to acre Sede apsiacereoaeat OY 3 
Red maids (Calindrinia menzeisi)..... 0... 20-20-0000 ove vee cece eee. 2 
Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retro LCDS x urine tan a nAuacet ecu A site e ete a 16 
Chickweed (Stellaria media).......2..020200-00ce0 cece eee e cece eee 13 
Knotweed (Polygonum BPS dS eine Ac techh hee ae yeinnd Matas 33.02 ale ans 1 
Timothy (Phlewm pratense).......20.2.00.2000c0ccececcccecccceeeceeeeecceee 1 
Meadow grass (Poa sp.)......222..200cceecceecccecceeceeeeeeceeeceescececee it 
Panic grass (Panicum sanguinale)...... 2.2. .0.0-0-0cceeececececececeseseseeees 2 
Wild oats (Avena POL UO) rom ac gd peas Uw fe cetyl ag Wy afte ays, GR eee 1 
Bede (Carexap x revenues than octet tt ed ed cons Ct | «Vali 2 
WIN ent red ae th date el ted whieh iceR ve Bx, Set A a Ra ad Sante cescn AA Ee 32 
Most of the unidentified seeds were so badly ground up that it was 
impossible to recognize the species. The greater part probably 
belonged to species included in the above list. A few very small 
grass seeds were not further identified. ; 
Feeding the young.—A nest with 4 young of this species, about 6 days 
old when first observed, was watched at different hours on four days. 
On the morning of the fifth day a pair of jays carried off the young 
birds. In the seven hours of observation 119 feedings were noted, 
or an average of 17 feedings per hour, or four and one-fourth feedings 
per hour to each nestling. This would give for a day of fourteen hours 
at least 238 insects destroyed by the brood. 
SUMMARY. 
In the foregoing discussion of the food of the enppiee aa ie 
Plainly appears that the diet is made up almost exclusively o - 
ful elements. No useful beetles of any consequence were eaten. 
ymenoptera, ants, which are either harmful or neutral, predominate, 
38301—Bull. 34—10-—6 
