68 BIRDS OF CALIFORNIA AFFECTING FRUIT INDUSTRY. 



nearly as much was taken in September. March, the month of seed- 

 ing, shows the least, 10 percent. Barley was found in 6 stomachs 

 taken in November, and amounts to less than 1 percent for the year. 

 Weed seed forms only 2 percent of the yearly food of the western 

 meadowlark. With the eastern bird it aggregates a little more than 

 1 1 percent. It seems strange that a bird which obtains its food from 

 the ground, and whose vegetable diet consists so largely of seeds, 

 should neglect a food that furnishes sustenance to so many other 

 species of birds. Weed seed was eaten so irregularly as to indicate 

 that it was taken only as a makeshift. December was the month 

 of greatest consumption, when it amounted to 15 percent. 



SUMMARY. 



Three items of damage may be brought up against the meadow- 

 lark. The first is the destruction of predaceous ground beetles 

 (Carabidse), which amount to one-eighth of its food. This, however, 

 constitutes but a small offense when we consider the number of cater- 

 pillars and grasshoppers which the bird also destroys. The damage 

 to peas, and grain when sprouting are undoubtedly real and in some cases 

 serious, but the conflicting testimony in regard to these points indi- 

 cates that this damage is due to local conditions, and it is probable 

 that a careful study of the attendant circumstances will lead to a 

 remedy. 



In some communities, especially in the South and West, where 

 meadowlarks are most abundant, there is a tendency to include them 

 among game birds. The tiny body of the meadowlark, however, has 

 slight food value as compared with the value of the living bird to the 

 agriculturist. While the western meadowlark can not be classed in 

 the front rank of the proved friends of the farmer, its services are 

 sufficiently real and important to earn protection wherever it is found. 



BULLOCK ORIOLE. 



(Icterus bullocki.) 



Over most of the plains and valleys of California, where trees are 

 available for nesting and foraging, the Bullock oriole (PL V.) is a com- 

 mon summer visitant. In the West it takes the place occupied in the 

 East by the Baltimore oriole. In food, nesting habits, and song the 

 birds are similar. Both are migratory and remain on their summer 

 range only about five or six months. They are rather domestic in 

 habits, and take kindly to orchards, gardens, and the vicinity of 

 farm buildings, and often live in villages and in the parks of large 

 towns. Their diet is largely made up of insects that infest orchards 

 and gardens. Their favorite foraging places are trees, where they 

 may be seen examining every leaf in search of their customary food, 



