GROSBEAKS 253 



May 1, 1912. Graves saw one at Carpenter, in the Tennessee 

 Valley, July 25, 1913. A pair was seen at Auburn, April 28, 

 1912, and again. May 7, 1914, evidently intending to breed. 

 The bird has been seen in the breeding season, also, at Annis- 

 ton, Ardell, Tuscaloosa, Erin (Clay County), Fitzpatrick, 

 Hayneville, Castleberry, and Dauphin Island. 



First arrivals in spring were noted at Greensboro April 18 

 (1891) ; at Barachias, April 18 (1908) and April 20 (1909) ; 

 the last seen in fall at Greensboro was on September 26 

 (1890). Eggs have been found at Autaugaville, June 6; 

 Greensboro, June 18 and August 2 ; and Montgomery, July 3. 



The blue grosbeak is found about the borders of woodland 

 and in fields grown up to bushes, briers, and weeds, seeming 

 to prefer the vicinity of a stream. In central Alabama it lives 

 on the prairies, and is frequently seen along the roadsides. 

 In spite of its bright colors, it is not very conspicuous. Its 

 voice is described by Ridgway as follows : "The usual note is 

 a strong harsh ptcMck, and the song of the male a very beauti- 

 ful, though rather feeble, warble, somewhat like that of the 

 Purple Finch, but bearing a slight resemblance also to that 

 of the Rose-breasted Grosbeak."! The nests are placed in 

 low trees, bushes, or blackberry briers, from 2 to 7 feet from 

 the ground, constructed of leaves, paper, weeds, grass, etc., 

 and lined with rootlets and hair. 



Food habits. — The food of the blue grosbeak, as detennined 

 by McAtee from stomach examinations, is composed of two- 

 thirds animal matter (insects) and one-third vegetable. Grain 

 constitutes 14.25 per cent of the diet, but on account of the 

 scattered distribution of the birds, no appreciable damage is 

 done during most of the summer. Later, when they forage 

 in flocks, they are said to do considerable injury. Weed seeds 

 constitute 18 per cent of the total food, thus forming the prin- 

 cipal element in the vegetable portion of the diet. The animal 

 food consists mainly of snails, spiders, and various insects. 

 Among the important pests eaten are grasshoppers, weevils, 

 the purslane sphinx, and the cotton cutworm. Crickets and 

 shorthorned grasshoppers are eagerly consumed, composing 



tSi(lgway, R., Ornith. of IlUaois, vol. 1, p. 299, 1889.. 



