62 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY. 



baffled recognition. The most interesting Lepidoptera were the 

 pupae of the codling moth, found in 11 stomachs, 4 of which belonged 

 to adults, while the other 7 were from nestlings, whose food will be 

 discussed farther on. An orchardist told the writer that at one time 

 his trees became infested with cankerworms, which swarmed all over 

 the orchard and were rapidly destroying the leaves, when the black- 

 birds came in great numbers from all quarters and fed upon the 

 worms until they were practically exterminated. 



Grasshoppers and crickets were taken from April to November, 

 inclusive, and amount for the whole year to 3.5 percent of the diet. 

 In June they constitute over 15 percent of the food of that month, 

 but only a moderate percentage was eaten in the other months. It 

 is rather remarkable that birds which feed so much on the ground 

 should eat so few of these insects, but this species appears to be 

 mainly a vegetable eater, and to get the larger part of its animal 

 food in April, just at its reproductive season, before grasshoppers 

 are abundant. 



Following is a list of insects identified in the stomachs of the 

 Brewer blackbird: 



COLEOPTERA. 



Trisena scitula. Diabrotica soror. 



Trixna longula. Diachus auratus. 



Brady cellus rwpestris. Gastroidea sp. 



Scymnus lacustris. Blapstinus pulverulentus . 



Dermestes mannerheimi. Blapstinus rujipes. 



Saprinus obscurus. Apocrypha dyschirioides. 



Anchastus cinereipennis. Anthicus punctulatus. 



Aphodius rugifrons. Sitones sp. 

 Aphodius granarius. 



HEMIPTERA. 



Saissetia olese. 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



Helioihis obsoleta. Carpocapsa pomonella. 



Vegetable food. — The vegetable food reaches its maximum of 95 

 percent in December, when animal food is least plentiful. It may be 

 divided into frifit, grain, and weed seed. Fruit was eaten in May, 

 June, and July, not a trace appearing in any other month. It was 

 found in 63 stomachs, of which 37 contained cherries (or what was 

 thought to be such); 2, strawberries; 3, blackberries or raspberries; 

 and 21, fruit pulp or skins not further identified. The percentages 

 for each month were 14 for May, 22 for June, and 15 for July, an 

 average of 17 percent for each of the three months, or of a little more 

 than 4 percent for the whole year. This certainly is not a bad 

 showing, and if the bird does no greater harm than is involved in its 

 fruit eating, it is well worth protecting. 



