FOOD OF ROBINS AND BLUEBIRDS. 31 



Vegetable food. — As with most of the other thrushes, the vege- 

 table portion of the food of the mountain bluebird consists princi- 

 pally of small fruit. The currants and grapes found were in all 

 probability domestic varieties, but as the grapes were from stomachs 

 taken in December and January, and the currants from one taken in 

 April, they can have but little economic significance. 



Following is a list of the various items of vegetable food and the 

 number of stomachs in which found: 



Currants {Ribes sp.) 1 



Elderberries (Sambucus sp.) 1 



Sumac seeds (Rhus sp.) 1 



Grapes (Vitis sp.) 5 



Unknown seeds l 



Tinbbish 4 



Summary. — The mountain bluebird has probably not yet come in 

 touch with the products of husbandry extensively enough to demon- 

 strate its real propensities, but the nature of its food does not indicate 

 that there is much to be feared from the bird. In the season of fruit 

 and grain it subsists mostly upon insects and eats fruit and other 

 vegetable food only in the season when nothing but left-over and 

 waste products can be obtained. 



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