58 THE RELATION OF SPARROWS TO AGRICULTURE. 



unusually prominent, particularly^ in summer. In July, when insects 

 are abundant, the vegetable food declines to a tenth of the total 

 food. Shortlj^ after the beginning of August, however, it begins to 

 rise steadily, until by winter it forms the entire fare. According to 

 Dr. Warren, it includes, besides seeds, such fruits as mulberries, 

 blackberries, and strawberries, and the buds of beech, maple, and 

 apple ;^ but the examination of stomachs in the laboratory of the 

 Biological Survey has as yet failed to disclose any other vegetable 

 food than seeds. These seeds belong to the usual three groups, grain 

 (11 percent), grass seed (16 percent), and weed seed (42 percent). 

 Grain was found in 15 stomachs, of which 14 contained oats, the other 

 wheat. Much of the grain was undoubtedl}^ gleaned from stubble- 

 fields, and it is probable that part of the oats had been taken from 

 horse droppings, as this sparrow frequents roadsides. Several of the 

 birds whose stomachs contained oats were collected on highways. 



The maximum amount of grain, 20 percent, was procured from oat 

 stubble in August. Four stomachs collected near oat stubble at 

 Dry Creek, Montana, contained little else than oats. Oats were also 

 consx^icuous in stomachs of birds collected from stubble-fields at 

 Escondido, Cal., during November and December. Some little dam- 

 age may be caused to grain at harvest or sowing time, but thus far no 

 complaints against this sparrow have been received by the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



The vesper sparrow is less partial to grass seed than many other 

 species of sparrows, but agrees closely with them in the kinds selected. 

 Pigeon-grass and crab-grass are eaten, and, to a slight extent, timo- 

 tliy and paspalum. The quantity of grass seed consumed being com- 

 parativel}^ small, that of weed seed, which includes the seeds of rag- 

 weed, amaranth, lamb's-quarters, wild sunflowers, polygonums, and 

 purslane, is correspondingly large. Ragweed and various polygo- 

 nums alone furnish 16 x^ercent of the food, which equals tlie per- 

 centage of all the various kinds of grass seeds combined. Amaranth 

 and lamb's-quarters are, api3arently, not relished as greatly as purs- 

 lane and wild sunflower, to which the bird seems to be extremely par- 

 tial. Although the vesper sparroAv is not found as far from cover as 

 the snowflake and the longspur, j^et it feeds farther out in the field 

 than most sparrows, and thus acconix)lishes more valuable service as 

 a weed destroyer than many that feed to an equal extent on weed 

 seed. This same characteristic increases the efficiency of this highly 

 insectivorous sparrow as a consumer of grasshopjjers, caterpillars, and 

 weevils. Its value to the farmer is bej^ond question and should secure 

 for it the fullest protection. 



1 Birds of Pennsylvania, revised ed., p. 234, 1890. 



