SPARROW FAMILY. 95 



apricots in 1, and prunes in 1. Fruit pulp, not further identified, 

 but probably of the larger kinds, was found in 25 stomachs. During 

 cherry season these birds were almost constantly in the trees eating 

 cherries. They do not appear to attack apricots, peaches, and prunes 

 so extensively, but they feed freely on figs later in the season. 

 Blackberries and raspberries are taken whenever possible, but mostly 

 in July and August, after cherries are gone. There is no denying 

 the fact that the grosbeak eats much fruit, and of the best kinds. 

 Wild fruit amounts to something over 5 percent. All of it was 

 eaten in the four months from May to August inclusive, but princi- 

 pally in July and August. The only wild fruit identified was the 

 elderberry (Sambucus), which constitutes the bulk of this item, and 

 was found in 26 stomachs. 



Seeds of various weeds and some grain constitute 14.7 percent of 

 the food. Oats were found in 9 stomachs and wheat in 7, but the 

 amount was insignificant. The rest of the vegetable food consists 

 of the seeds of more or less troublesome weeds, of which the gros- 

 beak eats a very considerable quantity. The following is a list of 

 the species identified and the number of stomachs in which each 

 was found : 



Milk thistle (Silybum marianum) 5 



Nightshade (Solarium nigrum) 1 



Bur clover ( Medicago lanceolata) 2 



Poison oak (Rhus diversiloba) 1 



Sumac (Rhus sp.) 1 



Alfilaria (Erodium cicutarium) 12 



Geranium (Geranium dissectum) 13 



Dwarf mallow ( Malva rotundifolia) 1 



Red maids ( Calandrinia menziesi) 6 



Rough pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) 3 



Chickweed (Stellaria media) 13 



Knotweed (Polygonum sp.) 2 



Sorrel (Rumex acetosella) 1 



Unidentified 24 



Food of young. — Among these stomachs are those of 17 nestlings, 

 varying in age from 2 to 8 days. The youngest brood, composed of 

 3, had been fed entirely on beetles, Hymenoptera, and caterpillars. 

 For convenience, codling moth pupae may be separated from other 

 caterpillars. The average percentage of each was as follows: 

 Beetles 0.7, Hymenoptera 0.7, caterpillars 92.3, codling moth pupae 

 6.3. Note the large percentage of soft food in the shape of cater- 

 pillars and pupae. Broods 2 and 3 were composed of 3 and 4 nestlings 

 respectively, and were probably about 1 day older than brood 1. 

 Their stomachs were entirely filled with animal food, divided as 

 follows: Beetles 15 percent, caterpillars 55.4 percent, codling moth 

 pupae 23 percent, scales 2.6 percent, and other insects and spiders 4 

 percent. These nestlings had been fed with hard beetles to a much 



