26 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY. 



decaying logs arid stumps, where the flicker obtains a large share of 

 its food. 



The following insects and crustaceans were identified in the food of 

 the flicker: 



COLEOPTERA. 



Amara insignis. Calathus rujicollis. 



Anisodactylus dilatatus. Platynus jnaculicollis. 



Anisodactylus piceus. Harpalus sp. 



HYMENOPTERA. 



Formica neorufibarbis. Messor andrei. 



Cremastogaster lineata. Solenopsis geminata. 



Lasius sp. Prenolepis imparls. 



CRUSTACEA. 



Porcellio scabra. Oniscus sp. 



Vegetable food. — The vegetable food of the flicker includes many 

 items. They may, however, be grouped under four heads: Mast, grain, 

 fruit, and other vegetable food. Mast forms 10 percent of the food. 

 It is taken fairly regularly, but in the greatest quantity in winter. It 

 was contained in 15 stomachs, 1 holding nothing else. In one case 

 it was English walnut, but in all others it appeared to be the meat 

 of acorns. December showed the maximum amount, 40 percent. 

 Grain was found only in stomachs taken in August, October, and 

 November, the highest percentage being in August, about 17 percent. 

 The total for the year was only 4 percent. It was all contained in 16 

 stomachs, and consisted of corn in 14 cases, barley in 1, and oats 

 in 1. A stomach taken in November was entirely filled with corn. 

 It is not likely, however, that the flicker ever does serious damage to 

 corn or any other grain. The examinations do not indicate any 

 great fondness for this food, and observation has never shown that the 

 bird makes a practice of visiting grain fields. 



Fruit was found in 39 stomachs, in 26 of which it was thought to 

 be of cultivated varieties, but in the other 13 it was wild. Apples, 

 cherries, grapes, prunes, and probably pears were the domestic fruits 

 identified. One stomach was entirely filled with apple pulp and 

 another practically so. Grapes are apparently the favorites. The 

 wild varieties of fruit identified were pepper berries, elderberries, 

 and gooseberries. Fruit pulp that could not be further determined 

 was found in several stomachs and was classified as domestic, although 

 it may have been wild. The aggregate of fruit for the year is 15 per- 

 cent. While no complaints have been lodged against the flicker for 

 depredations upon fruit, evidently it can do serious damage where it 

 is abundant. It enjoys living in orchards or their immediate vicinity, 

 and, as the stomachs show, does not hesitate to sample their prod- 

 ucts, but it eats most of its fruit in the latter part of the season, after 



