THE WINTER FOOD OF THE CHICKADEE 
On those trees whose leaves drop off in autumn the eggs of 
plant-lice are commonly deposited in the crevices about the 
buds. The eggs of the common apple aphis are indicated as 
black specks about the buds in Fig. i ; 
those of an abundant species on birch are 
shown in Fig. 2 ; while Fig. 3 illustrates 
the eggs of a species that lays its eggs in 
great numbers upon the bark of willow 
branches. Although it is impossible to 
determine precisely the different species of 
plant-lice from their eggs, there was rea- 
son to believe that each of the species 
shown in these three figures had been 
eaten freely by the chickadees examined. 
Insect eggs of many other kinds were 
found in the food of the chickadees. 
Many of these it was impossible to recog- 
nize, but there was no difficulty in iden- 
tifying the eggs of the common American 
Tent Caterpillar, 1 the egg mass of which 
is illustrated in Fig. 4, and of the Fall 
Canker Worm, 2 the eggs of which as 
found upon elm are represented in Fig. 5. 
There were also present the eggs and 
egg sacs of many spiders of kinds com- 
monly occurring under loose bark (Fig. 
6). While spiders as a class are doubt- 
less beneficial creatures, the destruction 
of some of them is not in my opinion se- 
riously detrimental to the usefulness of the 
chickadee. 
The larvae of several different kinds of moths were also 
found. One of the most abundant species was believed to be 
the common apple worm, the larva of the codling moth (Fig. 7)- 
It was difficult to be sure of the species, because the heads of 
the larvae were nearly always absent, but there is little doubt 
Fig. 3. Eggs of Plant- 
lice on Bark of Willow. 
(From a Photograph.) 
1 Clisiocampa Americana. 
2 Anisopteryx pometaria. 
