The Food of Birds. 115 
Table of the Pood of the Robin. ( Turclus migratorius, L.) — Concluded. 
c 
03 
Feb. 
March 
April 
May 
<u 
c 
=3 
13 
August | 
a 
<u 
in 
| Oct. 
Nov. 
Dec. 
•j 
< 
H 
O 
H 
1 14 
Ratio of each ele- 
ment to whole of food. 
Number of specimens 
1 1 
9 
17 
14 
20 
12 
3 
1 
Kinds of Food. 
Number of specimens, and ratio in which 
each element of food was found. 
Moonseed (Menispermum) 
Polygonum 
2 
.04 
2 
1 
3 
1 
t 
Grass 
i 
t 
t 
i 
.02 
I 
.01 
Corn 
i 
Percentages for each month 
Ratios. 
Beneficial species 
Injurious species 
05 
*94 
OI 
06 
*74 
20 
21 
*47 
*32 
09 
136 
°64 
24 
*12 
°85 
10 
t°5 
°5° 
3i 
t*9 
°57 
07 
136 
36 
43 
21 
Neutral species 
♦Includes Bibio. J Includes ants. ° Includes fruits. 
[Note — In the foregoing tables, the integers indicate the number of birds 
found to eat the element against which they are placed, and the decimals 
express the ratio of this element to the whole food of the month. October 
and December were omitted in computing the general averages for the 
year, on account of the small number of birds for those months.] 
Mimus. oarolinensis, L. The Catbird. 
This bird, scarcely less abundant than the robin, ar- 
rives later and makes a shorter stay, coming late in April 
or early in May, and disappearing from this latitude 
usually in September. It also occupies a larger territory 
in the State in midsummer than the robin, being not at 
all rare in extreme southern Illinois in July and August. 
I do not know that it ever winters northward. Its habits 
and favorite haunts are so similar to those of the robin 
that one might not unreasonably anticipate that, respect- 
ing their food, both could be considered as one species; 
but we shall see proof that there are specific food charac- 
teristics to separate them. 
