ECONOMIC VALUE OF THE STARLING. 39 
TaBLeE II.— Monthly percentages of the various items in the food of adult starlings (see 
jig. 2). 
Month- 
Kind of food. Jan. | Feb. | Mar. | Apr. | May. |June. | July.| Aug. | Sept.| Oct. | Nov.| Dec. | ly av- 
erages. 
WieoVvils2- 2 ne sos 14.10 |20.16 | 7.97 | 4.35 | 4.31 | 7.39 |138.36 |10.91 | 3.93 | 3.13 | 5.33 | 7.00 8.50 
Ground beetles....| 1.23 | U.42 | 1.07 | 7.31 | 8.76 | 7.96 | 9.11 |13.02 |12.93 | 4.56 | 1.16 | 1.12 Sevil 
May beetles. ......| 0.14 |...--. 0.27 | 4.52 |11.04 | 3.28 | 4.08 | 0.45 | 0.38 | 2.60 | 0.10 | 0.05 2.24 
Other beetles...._. Dera OFAG ae 2e SOF Ge 554 69204-4056 Poe) ete (09) Ondo lt 5 | 2a27 iF o25b4 3.14 
Grasshoppers... ... 4.42 | 0.55 | 2.61 | 1.59 | 0.84 | 1.24 | 2.77 |22.30 |30.75 {38.95 |38.26 | 4.76 12. 41 
Caterpillars. ...___- 3.88 | 1.04 | 5.24 | 5.56 |18.97 {20.56 | 4.57 | 3.69 | 0.83 | 2.16 | 5.69 | 5.26 6.04 
Millipeds......:.-- 0.44 0.04 | 0.66 [54.69 142.19 |23.66 | 3.68 | 0.20 | 4.11 | 7.64 | 1.24 | 2.02 11.71 
Miscellaneous ani- : 
mal matter !..__. 3.91 | 3.07 | 6.23 | 5.26 |. 6.98 |10.80 | 5.71 | 5.56 | 3.56 |11.83 | 3.01 | 5.05 5.93 
Garbage (animal)... 11569" 294071685 15,2139) 02632110532 (20235510532 |=.- =. 02233 \a=e— 0.36 1.32 
Garbage (vege- | 
EO) ea eas 140.56 |35.97 |41.25 | 6.76 | 4.58 | 1.04 } 1.49 | 0.34 | 0.54 | 3.61 |___.-- 26. 62 13052 
Cultivated cherries |......|....--|..---- ese eae AONE AOD Ceo me deer al aes | ae eee | eee 2.66 
Other cultivated | He SA mOnOOnI2s82 BO Onl = ses TO6s ee 0.50 | 2.19 | 0.38 | 0.96 | 5.78 aero 
iSpy 
Wild fruits... -.-.: Fe 98 32.90 {13.69 | 0.34 |_.._.- 1.12 |35.82 |40.88 |39.57 |23.76 |41.80 |36. 44 23.86 
Grainss 3c. ose 4S 2 308 | 7605089241 0547-12 =. OF44>0204| 0846" |= OSLSy ines 1.16 
1 Under this heading are included Hymenoptera, Hemiptera, Diptera, and other miscellaneous insects, 
Spiders, and mollusks. 
OBSERVATIONS FROM BLIND. 
Few birds are more voracious than young starlings, and when 
there are from 4 to 6 to feed, it requires the most strenuous efforts of 
their naturally active parents to supply their constant needs. An 
insight into the feeding operations was obtained near Closter, N. J., 
by means of a blind, from which a nestful of 5 young starlings could 
be watched at close range. This blind was so placed that the opening 
made for observation was within 2 feet of the nest cavity. This was 
located about 6 feet from the ground in the hollow lmb of an apple 
tree. In watching these birds, attempt was made to identify the 
food brought m and to igusme the frequency of feeding. 
Efforts at identification met with little success, as in no case could 
an item be specifically identified, even though ee of the food was 
carried in plain view at the tip of the bill of the parent bird and often 
within 18 inches of the eyes of the observer. The alertness of the 
bird prevented more than a momentary glance at the food it carried. 
Such identifications as ‘‘cutworms,” ‘‘earthworms,”’ ‘‘grasshoppers,’ 
and ‘‘ground beetles’? were the best that could be made under the 
circumstances; and then, since fully a third of the food of the star- 
ling is carried where it is partially or wholly concealed at the base of 
the bill or in the throat, this phase of the observations afforded few 
facts of value—very little compared with the detailed data secured 
from stomach examination. It was noted, however, that rainfall had 
a distinct effect on the character of food brought to the young. Dur- 
ing showery weather or on days succeeding rainy nights large quan- 
tities of earthworms and cutworms were secured. The main source 
of this supply was a near-by garden. A low meadow was a favorite 
