the Rook, Starling and Chaffinch. 
43 
From these records the balance in favour of the chaffinch is 
decidedly marked. A question arises, however, in regard to 
weed seeds. How many are passed by the birds in their 
excrement and later germinate ? This will be referred to later. 
One noticeable feature has been that many of the birds 
contained nothing but grit and small stones ; another the 
marked presence of the remains of such fragile insects as 
Aphides, showing that probably great numbers of these plant 
lice are devoured by this bird. 
I9 X 3. 
January. — The n birds received contained no insects or any 
animal matter. Of harmful seeds, there occurred 3 Knotgrass seeds 
( Polygonum aviculare) ; 10 Chickweed seeds ( Stellaria media) ; 20 
Charlock ( S inapis arvensis). The birds contained 7 wheat grains, 3 oats 
and 3 Indian corn ; while grit, pebbles and brick were found in all. 
February. — Twenty-one birds were examined, in which were 
found: — 1 Charlock ( Sinapis arvensis ); 3 Knotgrass (PoA^owum aviculare) 
and 4 Spurrey (Spergula arvensis ) seeds ; 49 grains of wheat, 1 bean, 
and beetle fragments in three birds. Also stones, grit and moss. 
March. — Thirty-seven birds examined ; only 3 contained insects, 
of which 9 were found, including 2 Brown Scales ( Lecanium caprece) ; 
2 Aphis sp. ? ; 2 young Leaf Hoppers ( Chlorita sp.) ; 2 Wireworms, 
and 1 Mycetid larva ( Sciara ). Also the following seeds 8 Spurrey 
(■ Spergula arvensis) ; 9 Charlock ( Sinapis arvensis) ; 10 Chickweed 
[Stellaria media) ; 1 Speedwell ( Veronica sp.) ; 3 Sheep’s Sorrel (Rumex 
Acetosella) ; 5 Self Heal ( Prunella vulgaris) ; 12 Gooseioot (Che no podium 
sp.) ; 1 Vetch (Vida sp.) ; 7 Campion ( Silene Cucubalus ) ; 1 Millet 
(Milium effusum) ; 6 mustard* ; 127 wheat ; 3 barley ; 5 oats ; 2 peas. 
Bud scales, possibly of Plum, occurred in 1 ; much grit was found in all. 
April. — Thirty birds examined. These contained only 14 insects, 
viz., 7 Plum Aphis ( Aphis pruni) ; 4 Apple Aphis ( Aphis maliy ; 2 
Black Fly ( Thrips sp.), and 1 Midge ( Chironomus ) ; 13 Spurrey ( Spergula 
arvensis) seeds, and 3 Chickweed ( Stellaria media) and 47 grains of wheat, 
mostly fragmentary. Also grit and moss. 
May. — The 15 birds examined contained: — 1 Aphis (Aphis pomi ?) ; 
2 Black Fly ( Thrips sp. ? ), and 1 Staphylinid beetle* ; 2 Chickweed 
(Stellaria media) seeds. Two grains of wheat and 2 oats. 
June. — Four birds were examined. The contents consisted of 
5 Aphides (2 Aphis mail , 2 Macrosiphum pisi, 1 Eriosoma lanigera) ; 
3 Mussel Scale (Lepidosaphcvs ulmi) ; 1 Apple Blossom Weevil ( Anthono - 
mas pomorum) ; 2 Charlock seeds and 3 grains of corn. 
July. — The 8 birds examined contained :—i Black Aphis (Aphis 
rumicis) ; 2 Chickweed ( Stellaria media) seeds and 3 grains of wheat. 
Beetle debris in 2 birds and cabbage debris in 2 birds. 
August. — In the only 2 birds sent in, both with very nearly empty 
crops, were 5 grains of wheat in fragments and grit. 
September. — The 5 birds examined, apart from moss which was 
found in 3, contained nothing but grit. 
October. — Twenty-two birds in all received. They contained 2 
Barvnotus Weevils ( Barynotus obscurus ) ; 1 Apple Blossom Weevil 
(Anthonomus pomorum) and the body of a small Carabid ; 2 seeds 
