SPARROW FAMILY, 91 
is about the same. June shows a higher percentage than either May 
or July, which indicates that some of the grain was gathered from 
the harvest field. Oats were the favorite kind, found in 140 stom- 
achs. Barley was contained in 34, wheat in 16, and cornin 6. Six- 
teen stomachs were filled with grain alone, most of them with oats, 
but several with barley and one with corn. 
The towhee is another of those species whose standard food is weed 
seed. It amounts to nearly 51 percent of the yearly diet. Even in 
June, the month of least consumption, it amounts to one-fifth of the 
food, while in December. it reaches its maximum, 83.6 percent; but 
a good percentage is eaten in every month, no matter what other food 
is at hand. 
Weed seed was found in 304 stomachs, and 46 contained nothing 
else. The quantity of this seed consumed by the towhees of Cali- 
fornia in one year must be enormous. The following are the species 
identified and the number of stomachs in which each was found: 
Sunflower (Hehanthis-ep») 21s osnueuacnigaanceos ss vee vaaiseicaalomencens eae ge 1 
Lesser tarweed (Hemizonia fasciculata)............220222 0020 c cece eee eee ee eee 7 
Tarweed ( Madia sativa)..... 2.2.2.2. 22020 c ccc cee ne eee e eens 34 
Mayweed (Anthemis cotula)..........200000002 0000 eee eee ee ee teens 6 
Milk thistle (Stlybum marianum)..........-...00 02200 e eee cee cence eee ee 1 
Bur thistle (Centaurea melitensis)..............0-0 2202002 e eee cee eee eee ee eee 39 
Burweed (Amsinchia tesselata).......--..--.22 2022002222 eee eee eee eee eee eee 4 
Nightshade (Solanum nigrum) .......-..2--2--020002 00 2c cece cece eee eee ee eeee 22 
Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)..............2- 00000 c cece eee cece eee e eee eee eee 1 
Lupines(LAl Pinus 6p) = 2 ice ncg kong vce aes laeadaeres eae 4 eae pa Cee RES 19 
Clover (Trifolium ap) -.cciccak care seltadee dese eesteeewec emmeseeaemimaneeen 9 
Legumes not further identified............-- eR a nn aie Pe Reerreel rere ene 39 
Turkey mullein (Hremocarpos setigerus)........------2+ 022-00 e cece eee eee eee 5 
Poison oak (Rhus diversiloba)..........2----++000e22220e sree eens ee 7 
Alfilaria (Erodium cicutarium)........2--+202-02 002 c eee e eee eee eee eee 55 
Geranium (Geranium dissectum).-....----++--0002-02 eee eee eee t eects 1 
Yellow sorrel (Oxalis corniculata)........---.12--2222200e eee ee erect teers 4 
Mustard (Brassica nigra).........-2---2222ece cece eee ce ee eee e eee tet t eee 10 
Poppy (Eschscholtzia californica) .....--.-----2-- 000000 e cette ett tere eee eee 2 
Miners’ lettuce (Montia perfoliata)........-.---+-002000e eee cece eee cece ie 
Red maids (Calandrinia menziesi).......---------+- 0222 c cere eet e rete eee 
Pigweed (Chenopodium album).....-.-----+2+--++0+0+22c ect t tees ttre terete es 
Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retroflecus).....---.-----2+222222 eee ret eee eee : 
Spurry (Spergula arvensis)......2...-22222+00002 ee cece cee eee ects recente Fe 
Chickweed (Stellaria media).......---2----+20+20e eee eee ee cess secrete teers L 
Catchfly (Silene sp.).......-0ce0--0-20cee cece eee e cece cee ee eeeesserttertees ie 
Knotweed (Polygonum sp.).....----+-2220e0eeeccc ect ecteteesesctertttetnes 
Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) x oe 2 oescaeieeoe oe 2s hensennen dle ans 2Ee CERES : 
Brome grass (Bromus sp.)...--------+22200eceec cess eeceeteescetectesssss se - 
Wild oats (Avena fata) eves coxa gguiiovk yoo Reanlssccise Sees + Pea ‘ 
Canary seed (Phalaris canariensis).......-+.------++-000e cece cctr treet : 
Panic grass (Panicum sp.).....--2+ee-e0e0eeeeeccee eee ececeett tesserae ce 
MTOM occas «x xeregantepadacs vc vmsincenroite dard oabeneenan yet sn Hanne beenoett 
Mast, in the shape of acorn meat, was taken to a slight SAaaeee " 
reaches about one-half of 1 percent for the year. Vegetable rubbis 
aggregates 2.4 percent. 
