330 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [BuU. 



seems to be individually the most useful species of bird whose 

 food habits have thus far been investigated. The injurious part 

 of the food forms only 3 per cent of the whole, while the neutral 

 amounts to 24 per cent, and the beneficial to 73 per cent." (Judd, 

 " The Relation of Sparrows to Agriculture.") 



The Sharp-tailed and Seaside Sparrows (Passerherbulus 

 caudacutus and maritimus maritimus) , inhabiting our salt marshes 

 exclusively, have little effect on agriculture except as they destroy 

 the insect enemies of the salt hay. " The examination of 81 

 stomachs of both species indicates that 2 per cent of the food 

 consists of insects which probably exert a beneficial influence on 

 the salt hay crop, 30 per cent consists of insects which are per- 

 haps injurious to it, and 10 per cent consists of spiders, concerning 

 whose relation to it there is much doubt. The remaining 58 per 

 cent of the food is made up of approximately equal parts of in- 

 sects and seeds of plants having little, if any, relation to the hay 

 crop. The birds do not prey on the salt-marsh caterpillars, so 

 destructive to the hay, and they destroy a considerable amount 

 of the seed of the marsh grasses, which is probably an injurious 

 effect. Thus, investigation shows that the two species are ap- 

 parently of little economic importance." (Judd, " The Relation 

 of Sparrows to Agriculture.") 



Of the White-throated Sparrow (Zonotrichia albicollis), 

 found in flocks along our hedge-rows in fall. Dr. Judd speaks as 

 follows : " Two hundred and seventeen stomachs, collected dur- 

 ing every month in the year except June, have been examined. 

 Most of these stomachs were collected in New York and Pennsyl- 

 vania, but a large number came from Iowa, Minnesota, Georgia, 

 and Texas, and some from New Brunswick. The food for the 

 year, as a whole, as indicated by stomach contents, consists of 

 19 per cent animal matter and 81 per cent vegetable matter. Of 

 the vegetable food 3 per cent is grain, 50 per cent weed seed, and 

 the remainder chiefly wild fruit. 



" The insect food resembles that of many other species in 

 general character, but some interesting differences appear when 

 it is viewed in detail. Hymenoptera constitute 6 per cent of the 

 year's food; Coleoptera, 5 per cent; Heteroptera and Diptera, 

 taken together, 3 per cent ; and Lepidoptera, 3 per cent ; the cus- 

 tomary quota of spiders, millipedes, and snails supplying the 

 remaining 2 per cent of animal food." 



