C N T E N T S 
Pag-. 
Introduction . 7 
Importance of sparrows 7 
Constituents of food 7 
Methods of investigation 11 
Field work .... 11 
Experiments with captive birds 12 
Laboratory examination of stomachs ... 12 
Combination of field and laboratory work 15 
Classification of bird food . 16 
Recapitulation 18 
Food of sparrows ... . 19 
Mineral substances found in sparrows" stomachs 19 
Food in general ... 19 
Food neutral in effect on agriculture 20 
Food injurious in effect on agriculture 21 
Food beneficial in effect on agriculture 23 
Summary ... 28 
Sparrows in the field ... 29 
Sparrows in captivity 45 
Food of sparrows by species 51 
Snowflake ( Passerina u iralis) . . 51 
Lapland longspur ( Calca rius hippon icus) 54 
Vesper sparrow (Foceeete* gramineus and Pocecetes gramineus confinis) . 56 
Ipswich sparrow (Ammodramus priuc^ps) .. .. 59 
Savanna sparrow (Am mod ram us sanrtwiehensis savanna and Aninio- 
dramas sandwichensis alaudinus) 59 
Grasshopper sparrow ( _4 m niodram us sava n na rumpasserin us and A m mo- 
dramas aavannarum perpaUidus) . 60 
Henslow's sparrow (Ammodramus hensloici) . 63 
Sharp-tailed sparrow {Ammodramus caudaeutus. Ammodramus nelsoni, 
and Ammodram us nelsoni subvirgatus) . 64 
Seaside sparrow (Ammodramus maritimus) . 65 
Lark sparrow (Choadestes grammacus and Chondestes grammacs stri- 
gatus) 66 
Harris's sparrow (Zonotrichia querula) 68 
White-crowned sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophrys. Zonotrichia leucojjhrys 
gambeli, and Zonotrichia leucophrys nuttalli) . 69 
White-throated sparrow (Zonotrich ia albicollis) _. 72 
Tree sparrow (Spizella monticola and Spizella monticola ochracea) 75 
Chipping sparrow (Spizella socialis and SpAzella socialis arizona?) . 76 
Field sparrow (Spizella pusilla and Spizella pusilla arenacea) . . 78 
Junco (Junco hyemalis and subspecies) 80 
Song sparrow ( Melospiza melodia and subspecies ) . . 82 
Lin oln"s sparrow Olelospiza lincolni) . . 86 
Swamp sparrow (Melospiza georgiana ).......-.. 87 
Fox sparrow (Fasserella iliaca) 87 
Dickcissel (Spiza a mericana) 89 
English sparrow (Passer domesticus) 92 
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