72 Bird Day Book 



iana the French speaking people have called it nonpareil (un- 

 equaled), and le pape (the pope). The last name has been con- 

 tracted to pop and varied as red pop. Spanish speaking citizens 

 know the bird as mariposa (butterfly), and in English the bird has 

 been variously named painted bunting or finch, paradise finch, Mexi- 

 can canary, and Texas canary. ^ 



The painted bunting- i§ 'fi6't only distinguished in appearance, but 

 also is one of the most pleasing songsters among the finches. It is a 

 persistent vocalist, and this characteristic, in addition to its beauty 

 and activity, makes it a most desirable species for the vicinity of 

 homes. Fortunately the bird is not averse to proximity to man, and 

 its preference for shrubbery further adapts it to living about door- 

 yards and gardens. The nest, though usually placed low, is well 

 concealed, and the eggs number three to five. 



Few complaints have been lodged against the painted bunting 

 on the score of its food habits. It is said to eat rice at times, to peck 

 into figs and grapes, and to bite oflF the tips of pecan shoots. In 

 no case that has come to notice, however, has it been charged with 

 doing serious damage. Certainly no such charge is supported by 

 the investigations of the Biological Survey, for no product of hus- 

 bandry has thus far been found in any of the stomachs, 80 of which 

 have been examined, all collected in Texas in July, August, and 

 September. Averages for the July and August material only are 

 here presented. Animal matter composed 20.86 per cent of the 

 contents of these stomachs, and vegetable matter 79.14 per cent. 

 Of the former, 2.48 per cent was made up of weevils, mostly cotton 

 boll weevils. All insects of this group are destructive, but none 

 more so than the notorious cotton boll weevil, and this species had 

 been eaten by 18 of the 80 nonpareils examined. 



Another enemy of the cotton crop attacked by these brightly 

 colored little birds is the cotton worm. This insect was preyed 

 upon to the extent of 3.14 per cent of the total food of the 80 painted 

 buntings examined. Other insects eaten included grasshoppers, 

 crickets, click beetles, leaf beetles, caterpillars, true bugs, and small 

 hymenopterans. A few spiders and one snail also were taken. 



The vegetable food is remarkable in consisting very largely of 

 a single item — the seeds of foxtail 6r pigeon grass. This is one of 



