THE WINTER FOOD OF THE CHICKADEE 
89 
Dr. L. 0 . Howard as belonging to some species of the family Reduvii- 
dce, making 2 per cent. ; three small larvae, apparently of the order 
Diptera, 1 per cent. ; fragments of sumach berries, 2 per cent., and 
undetermined material, 10 per cent. 
The next specimen was taken De- 
cember 9th in an apple tree, it having 
«g 
previously been followed through a 
mixed growth of young pines, maple, 
willow, and birches. The stomach 
was nearly full of the eggs of aphides, 
429 of these being counted in the 
mass ; they were estimated to form 70 
per cent, of the stomach contents. 
There were also present a small moth, 
4 per cent. ; a Carabid beetle, 5 per 
cent. ; a snout beetle, 4 per cent. ; 
two insect larvae, 4 per cent. ; an egg 
of the tall canker worm, 1 per cent. ; 
feathers a trace, and undetermined 
material, 1 per cent. 
The first specimens collected in Jan- 
uary were taken on the 19th at 2 p. m., 
and consisted of four birds which had 
just passed through a young growth 
of grey birches, apple and maple trees 
growing in a neglected pasture. Three 
of these had eaten largely of vegetable 
matter which was doubtfully identified 
as the buds of some small plant ; this 
material constituted 70 per cent, in 
two of the specimens and 75 per cent, 
in the third. The first bird had eaten 
in addition the following: Three in- 
sect larvae, 1 per cent. ; about 45 in- 
sect eggs, 5 per cent. ; undetermined Fig . 5 . Eggs of Fan Canker Worm 
insects, 2 pei cent. ; small seeds, 6 on E j m Twig. (Chickadees feed 
per cent. ; undetermined material, 8 freely on these Eggs.) 
per cent. The second specimen had 
a somewhat similar record, except that 6 per cent, of aphid eggs had 
been eaten. The third had eaten a large geometrid larva, forming 5 per 
cent of the food. The fourth chickadee of this lot had partaken of a 
somewhat different food from the other three. The principal item in 
its bill of fare consisted of material which was believed to be the skins 
of apples hanging from the trees, making 40 per cent, of the total 
food; plant-lice eggs formed 6 per cent.; eggs of fall canker worm, 4 
per cent. ; a lepidopterous larva, 10 per cent. ; a large bud of a decid- 
uous tree or shrub, 8 per cent. ; small buds, 6 per cent. ; and material 
not determined, 26 per cent. 
Two chickadees were taken in Durham among some grey birches on 
the banks of the Oyster River at 10 a. m., February 14th. Both had 
