Vol. XV"| 

 1808 J 



Sanderson, Food of Nuthatches and Chickadees. 



consumed. The fact that the spring larva; had not yet emerged 

 to any extent and that the adults were becoming active must also 

 be carefully considered. 



Character of Food. 



Hemiptera, eggs and adults, formed by far the greater part of 

 the food of the first period, with Coleoptera and Lepidoptera next, 

 or possibly from an economic standpoint of equal importance. 

 During the second period, the greater part of the food was adult 

 beetles, with a large portion of adult Lepidoptera. In two 

 stomachs, parasitic worms of considerable size were found. One 

 was of a small, white and cylindrical form, while the other was 

 white, but more flattened, with longer segments, and a true tape- 

 worm. 



Several well known insect pests were found in considerable 

 numbers. Among them, four — Bucculatrix sp ? — pupse in two 

 stomachs; 62 Noctuid larvaj in five; 105 Coleopterous boring 

 larva; in two; 15 Aphis mali eggs in 28; and 77 Mytilaspis 

 pomorum scales in four stomachs. (Each of the latter doubtless 

 covered fifty to seventy-five eggs.) The only beneficial forms 

 found were nine adult Carabidas in four stomachs and possibly 

 the 450 Reduviid eggs secured from twelve stomachs may also 

 be so considered, but the amount of their value is very uncertain. 

 Thus it is seen, that injury done by eating beneficial insects is 

 very small and of doubtful amount, while almost the entire food 

 is composed of more or less noxious forms. The injurious forms 

 were also eaten in large numbers, showing that the bird would be 

 of considerable value toward their removal when placed among a 

 large number of them, and undoubtedly would be especially 

 useful in destroying a pest during the winter season. In fact, 

 Prof. Forbush has shown by actual experiment (Mass. Crop 

 Report, July, 1895, Ser. '95, Bulletin No. 3. Noticed in Auk 

 Vol. XII, p. 383, 1895) that when these birds are present in the 

 •winter the destruction of the eggs at that time rendered it possible 

 for the summer birds to destroy all the larva; during a severe 

 attack of the canker-worm, and the orchard thus produced a good 

 yield, whereas elsewhere the trees were largely defohated. The 



