FOOD HABITS OF THRUSHES. 5 
Summary.—With so small an amount of material it is not safe to 
draw general conclusions, but in the case of A/yadestes one point 
seems clear—the bird’s favorite food is small wild fruit, and as long 
as this is abundant the bird will probably not attack cultivated 
varieties; but should any portion of the region occupied by the soli- 
taire be cleared of its wild fruit and cultivated species be introduced 
these would likely be preyed upon. Under such conditions this bird, 
now perfectly harmless, might inflict considerable damage. 
WOOD THRUSH. 
(Hylocichla mustelina.) 
The wood thrush is distributed over the eastern part of the United 
States wherever suitable conditions are found. It is a lover of 
open groves and bushy pastures, and may be found along little- 
traveled roads and near low bushy swamps. The bird is noted for 
its sweet song, and many country people who are well acquainted 
with its notes know little or nothing of the bird itself. Its favorite 
time for singing is in the early evening at the close of a sultry 
afternoon when a shower has cooled the air. As a rule, it does not 
nest in gardens or orchards and is seldom seen about farm buildings. 
It is strictly migratory, and the greater number pass out of the 
United States in winter, though a few remain in the Southern States. 
Tt usually migrates north in April or early May. 
For the investigation of the food habits of the wood thrush 171 
stomachs were available. One of these was collected in Florida in 
January and another in Alabama in February, and these two will 
be treated separately. The remaining 169 were collected from April 
to October, and are fairly well distributed over that time. The food 
consisted of 59.59 per cent of animal matter to 40.41 per cent of 
vegetable. The greatest quantity of animal food was eaten in April, 
the month of arrival from the south, and the least in October, the 
month of the return migration. 
Animal food—Beetles, collectively (20.40 per cent), constitute the 
largest item of animal food. Of these, 2.23 per cent are the preda- 
cious ground beetles (Carabide), generally considered useful. The 
remainder belong to several more or less harmful families, of which 
the May-beetle family (Scarabzeidee) amount to 10.17 per cent. Snout 
beetles, or weevils (Rhynchophora), are eaten to the extent of 2.16 
per cent only, and the wood-boring chick-beetles (Elateride) to 2.18 
per cent. 
Among the various species of these insects were noted the remains 
of the well-known Colorado potato beetle (Leptinotarsa decemline- 
ata), in two stomachs, and Coptocycla signifera, also injurious to the 
potato, in one stomach. Remains of Otiorhynchus ovatus, a weevil 
