90 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY. 
to July, inclusive. In June they amount to nearly 15 percent, which 
is the highest for any month. 
Hymenoptera amount to less than 2 percent. They consist of ants 
found in 47 stomachs and bees or wasps in 23 stomachs. Hemiptera, 
or bugs, are eaten to a small extent in nearly every month, but do 
not reach a high percentage in any. The maximum, 6 percent, occurs 
inMarch. The average is barely 1 percent forthe year. The favorite 
kinds appear to be leafhoppers, shield bugs, and stinkbugs. Black 
olive scales were found in 11 stomachs, and a second species, not 
identified, in 1. 
Caterpillars are eaten sparingly in every month. The amount for 
the year is 3.26 percent, and the maximum consumption, 8.5 percent, 
occurs in March. Pupe of the codling moth were found in 2 stom- 
achs. Grasshoppers and crickets amount to 2.5 percent for the year. 
In July they aggregate nearly 16 percent, which is a remarkably 
small amount for such a confirmed ground feeder as the towhee. 
They are eaten rather irregularly from April to October inclusive, 
with a trace in January. The remainder of the animal food, consist- 
ing of a few flies and other insects, spiders, millipeds, and snails, 
amounts to a little more than one-half of 1 percent. 
The following insects were identified in the stomachs: 
COLEOPTERA. 
Bradycellus rupestris. Aphodius rubidus. 
Philonthus albionicus. Diabrotica soror. 
Tachyporus californicus. Blapstinus pulverulentus. 
Hy pnoides ornatus. . Blapstinus rufipes. 
Ptilinus ruficornis. Notoxus alamedx. 
Aphodius rugifrons. Calandra oryza. 
- HEMIPTERA. 
Saissetia olex. 
LEPIDOPTERA. 
Carpocapsa pomonella. 
Vegetable food.—Fruit was eaten in every month from April to 
October inclusive, and also in December and January. The total for 
the year is 4.4 percent of the food. The greatest quantity was taken 
in June, when it amounted to 9.3 percent. Fruit, consisting of pulp 
and skins without seeds, was contained in 24 stomachs, Rubus fruits 
(blackberries or raspberries) in 28, cherries in 4, strawberries in 3, 
and elderberries in 41. Thus the towhee does no great damage to 
fruit—in fact, the fruit eaten is mostly wild or that which has been 
injured and left on the ground. 
Grain is eaten regularly in every month and in a fair quantity. 
It amounts for the year to about 28 percent. The most is taken in 
fall and winter, though the variation is not very marked. August 
appears to be the month of greatest consumption, but it is doubtful 
if this would hold true if more stomachs were examined, as October 
