318 
MR. J. HAMMOND ON FOOD OF BIRDS. 
collected at . odd times and in various parts of the country. 
In 1910, Collinge 5 , in a report on the feeding habits of the 
Rook ( Corvus frugilegus), concludes that “ there is ample 
evidence to show that with the present large number of 
rooks a grain diet is preferred ” ; this was the result of an 
examination of the contents of 830 rooks from all parts of 
England and Wales. In the same year, Kelso 6 , published 
an account of the stomach contents of a few starlings, 
showing them to have taken seed corn. In 1912, Collinge 7 
published some observations on the food of the starling, 146 
birds being examined; the conclusion was that “the food 
during the first six months of the year was distinctly of an 
insectivorous character in the vicinity of the City of 
Birmingham.” Laura Florence 8 has recently published an 
account of the stomach contents of a number of species ; in 
all, some 600 birds were examined, which came for the most 
part from the north-east of Scotland. Collinge 9 also has 
lately given an account of the stomach contents of Bullfinches 
{Pyrrhula europcea) which he considers as injurious to fruit 
growers, and also some observations on the food of nestling 
birds 10 (Shir tins vulgaris, Passer domes hens, Turdis musicus, 
and Turdis merula). In the United States much research has 
been done on this branch of Ornithology, the work being 
now carried on by the Biological survey, which is a section 
of the Agricultural Department of their Government. On 
the continent, also, numerous investigations have been made 
and a large amount of information has been accumulated on 
the subject, particularly in Germany, Austria, and France. 
5. Collinge, W. E. Jour. Econ. Biol., Vol. V., pt. 2, 1910. 
6. Kelso, J. E. H. The Zoologist, 4th Series, Vol. XIV., 1910. 
7. Collinge, W. E. Second Report on Economic Biol. Birming- 
ham, 1912. 
8. Florence, Laura. Trans. High, and Agric. Soc. of Scotland, 
1912. 
9. Collinge, W. E. Jour. Econ. Biol., Vol. VII., pt. 2, 1912. 
10. Collinge, W. E. Jour, of the Board of Agriculture and 
Fisheries. Sept., 1912. 
