30 FOOD OF WOODPECKERS OF UNITED STATES. 



HEMIPTERA. 



Plum or cherry scale (Eulecanium cerasifex). 



LEPIDOPTERA. 



Tent caterpillar (Malacosoma sp.). 



Vegetable food. — The two principal items of vegetable food are 

 fruit and cambium. Twenty-two species of wild fruit and two of 

 cultivated were identified. In general the least fruit is eaten in spring 

 and summer and the most in fall and winter. Altogether it was found 

 in 118 stomachs, none in May and the most, 71.26 per cent, in Novem- 

 ber. It was evidently mainly berries left on the bushes. Seeds of 

 Rubus fruit, which may be either wild or cultivated, were found in two 

 stomachs, and two contained what was thought to be apple pulp. The 

 total of the fruit is 28.06 per cent of the food, but evidently has little 

 economic interest. The apple was probably the only cultivated 

 variety and this was eaten only twice. Cambium, or the inner bark of 

 trees, was eaten every month, but mostly in winter and spring. The 

 greatest consumption is in April, 48.95 per cent, and the least in 

 November, 1.53 per cent. It was found in 127 stomachs and was the 

 entire contents of 12. The average for the year is 16.54 per cent, 

 which is exceeded by only two items — fruit and ants. The subjects 

 of cambium and sap sucking have been discussed on a previous page. 

 Mast, poison Rhus seeds, mullein, and rubbish collectively make up 

 the remaining 6.09 per cent. Mast was found in 15 stomachs, and is 

 evidently not specially sought. Poison ivy seed was contained in 

 seven stomachs and poison sumac in one, so the sapsucker does little 

 harm by distributing the seed of these noxious plants. Rubbish was 

 found in 48 stomachs. It was mostly bits of the outer bark of trees, 

 evidently swallowed when pecking for cambium. 



The following fruits and seeds were found in the food : 



Red cedar (Juniperus virginiana). Black alder (Ilex verticillata) . 



Greenbrier (Smilax sp.). Burning bush (Euonymus americanus). 



Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) . Frost grape ( Vitis cordifolia). 



Sassafras (Sassafras sassafras). Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinque- 



Blackberry or raspberry (Rubus sp.). folia). 



Shad or service berry (Amelanchier cana- Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) . 



densis). Sour gum (Nyssa sylvatica). 



Choke cherry (Prunus virginiana). Blueberry ( Vaccinium sp.). 



Black cherry (Prunus serotina). Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum). 



Poison sumac (Rhus vernix). Mullein ( Verbascum thapsus). 



Poison ivy (Rhus radicans). Red-berried elder (Sambucus pubens). 



American holly (Ilex opaca). Elder (Sambucus sp.). 



Ink berry (Ilex glabra). Poke berry (Phytolacca decandra). 

 Swamp holly (Ilex decidua). 



Summary. — In the animal food of the yellow-bellied sapsucker, 

 ants are the most important item, and while of no great economic 



