86 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY, 
Geranium (Geranium carolinianum).......-. 2.220202 2222 eee eee eee 1 
Mustards (Brassica PG?) xvas: ie ici mente iS ane SS, wk oye iaiaisleae oa edan eee 1 
Miner’s lettuce (Montia perfoliata)......--.- 2.202202 002020 e eee eee 26 
Red maids (Calandrinia menz1est) watcicorscrneisa vad ere od ANE Ree ae 6 
Pigweed (Chenopodium album).......---------+-002 022 eee eee e eee eee eee 1 
Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retroflecus) ....-....--2.-2--220-02 20022022 e eee ee eee 113 
Spurry (Spergula arvensis).........------ (eG ads 2 bs A See ee aes 12 
Chickweed (Stellaria media)... .....- 2... 2-2-2222 0 02 nneeeeeee 32 
Catch fly (Stlene spe) ex catyccsdse nes Lb thai Sad Shed eens Sele treacaan canes 3 
Knotweed (Polygonum sp.)....-...-------- geese ROE Mnencnasin nee A AA: 44 
Sorrel. CRumerisp )niccuigs suxcisie ve vee cede aeeean ec oee ed cekuiguleba SWAN gee 16 
Brome ‘grasa CBromusiep.): 2ss222 =: cseedevusus@ee: see och by eden siete eseueey 4 
Wildcats: (Avena fatua)qse-ces os ois Sere aeeee 2a geo ba cee euiasen case et 14 
Timothy.CP hletm pratense) cccd sen foe ceo ese eee ees Bese cede ecded Laake 1 
Canary seed (Phalaris caroliniana).......-..-2---- +--+ 2-202 -e ee eee eee eee 2 
Hox tail Chactochlod 6p, \a20e oa02 2 nectarines c22526e..oneouescenmaceeeie 1 
Panic grass (Panicum sanguinale)...-.....-------0--0--2 2222 eee eee eee eee 4 
Sedge (Carer 8D) .0.cacoeaiesatiane oe is see awe Ne oe Ss Se eee aweacees jen 8 
Unidentified se ceacawanweueiiaisse se ose. sstgeese iene eee aes aeeeiuleenlacncds 97 
As usual, the unidentified were either ground to pulp or were seeds 
of some unknown grass. Evidently the rough pigweed seed (Ama- 
ranthus) is the favorite. Several stomachs contained nothing else. 
SUMMARY. 
The economic status of the song sparrow can be summarized in a 
few words. It eats a comparatively small number of insects, the 
majority of which are noxious. Fruit and grain are eaten so little 
as to be of no consequence. Nearly three-fourths of the diet consists 
of seeds of weeds, most of which are a nuisance. Neither stomach 
examinations nor field observations furnish evidence that the song 
sparrow does any harm. 
SPOTTED TOWHEE. 
(Pipilo maculatus and subspecies.) 
Under one or other of its several subspecific forms the spotted 
towhee occurs almost throughout California. As it is resident over 
much of its range, the good or harm it does continues through the 
year. It is eminently a bird of the ground and underbrush, and 
delights in the thickest shrubbery, where it scratches among the dead 
leaves and twigs. Anyone who approaches the bushes too closely 
will probably see the bird depart from the opposite side and plunge 
into another thicket, and in this way one may chase it for hours with 
no more than an Secusiandl glimpse. This bird is not common about 
orchard or garden, the chaparral-covered hillsides and canyons being 
more congenial resorts. It is abundant and widely distributed, and 
hence is comparatively important from an economic point of view. 
For the investigation of the food of this bird 139 stomachs were 
at hand, collected in every month of the year, though November to 
May inclusive were not represented as fully as was desirable. The 
