SPARROW FAMILY. 95 
apricots in 1, and prunes in 1. Fruit pulp, not further identified, 
but probably of the larger kinds, was found in 25 stomachs. During 
cherry season these birds were almost constantly in the trees eating 
cherries. They do not appear to attack apricots, peaches, and prunes 
so extensively, but they feed freely on figs later in the season. 
Blackberries and raspberries are taken whenever possible, but mostly 
in July and August, after cherries are gone. There is no denying 
the fact that the grosbeak eats much fruit, and of the best kinds. 
Wild fruit amounts to something over 5 percent. All of it was 
eaten in the four months from May to August inclusive, but princi- 
pally in July and August. The only wild fruit identified was the 
elderberry (Sambucus), which constitutes the bulk of this item, and 
was found in 26 stomachs. 
Seeds of various weeds and some grain constitute 14.7 percent of 
the food. Oats were found in 9 stomachs and wheat in 7 , but the 
amount was insignificant. The rest of the vegetable food consists 
of the seeds of more or less troublesome weeds, of which the gros- 
beak eats a very considerable quantity. The following is a list of 
the species identified and the number of stomachs in which each 
was found: 
Milk thistle (Silybum marianum).........00000000ececueeeececeececeececsecees 5 
Nightshade (Solanum nigrum)...-.... 00.2. 0000ccc cece cence cc ceeececcseeeeeees 1 
Bur clover ( Medicago lanceolata)...........20000.00eeecceeeecceceeccccseeeceees 2 
Poison oak (Rhus diversiloba)........ 000000200000 c eee ceeceeeeeeececeeeees 1 
SUMAC (CRAUS! SD) 2 scci-te Serctcoearsiaie.w ls erocranentt aang eislalshin’s © oe aes mamemeumenin cee 1 
Alfilaria (Erodium cieutarium)......200c0-0000ccc cee cece ence ccc e cece ceeee eee ees 12 
Geranium (Geranium dissectum).......+200000-20ceeeeeecececeeeeceee ee eeeeeeees 13 
Dwarf mallow (Malva rotundifolia).............. 00002200 c cece cece cece eee e eens 1 
Red maids (Calandrinia menziesi)........20..0c20eeecee cece cee cece eee e eee e ee ees 6 
Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retroflecus)..... 222222000000 eee cece eeeeeeeeeeees 3 
Chickweed: (Stellaria: media cic cconneuvne wes am omeapeeee ene disae tewRe yg YERLE 13 
Knotweed (Polygonum sp.).....-.---+-- Shenae sub bes eens Sein din see ele en : 
Sorrel (Rumex acetosella)...... 22-2. .002202cccec cece cece cece eeee eee e cece teens 
Ui ema tS Fc oay scents cea eacuinceintds NOE ad erate eat nse d ensue gas 24 
Food of young.—Among these stomachs are those of 17 nestlings, 
varying in.age from 2 to 8 days. The youngest brood, composed of 
3, had been fed entirely on beetles, Hymenoptera, and caterpillars. 
For convenience, codling moth pups may be separated from other 
caterpillars. The average percentage of each was as follows: 
Beetles 0.7, Hymenoptera 0.7, caterpillars 92.3, codling moth pup 
6.3. Note the large percentage of soft food in the shape of cater- 
pillars and pupx. Broods 2 and 3 were composed of 3 and 4 nestlings 
respectively, and were probably about 1 day older than brood 1. 
Their stomachs were entirely filled with animal food, divided as 
follows: Beetles 15 percent, caterpillars 55.4 percent, codling moth 
pupe 23 percent, scales 2.6 percent, and other insects and spiders 4 
Percent. These nestlings had been fed with hard beetles to a much 
