THE FOOD OF THE ROBIN. ’ EIS 
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i THE FOOD OF THE ROBIN. | 
BRS fi) Pp Au 
BY E. V. WEUCOX)) | |, 
The economic relations of birds is a subject which, until recent years, 
has received very little serious attention. Different species of birds have 
been classed as beneficial or injurious from mere conjecture or sentimental 
considerations. We are often told that the small amount of fruit taken 
by fruit-eating species is more than counterbalanced by the great numbers 
of insects destroyed by these same birds. Now, while for certain purposes 
it may be admissible to include in a bird’s economic relations its «esthetic 
value, the present consideration of the subject is froma strictly utilitarian 
point of view. j 
But before giving a record of my own work upon the feeding habits 
of the robin I shall make a brief synopsis of work done by others in this 
particular field of investigation. 
Prof. 8. A. Forbes, in Vol. I, No 8, of Bulletin Illinois State Labora- 
tory of Natural History, has published a report of a careful investigation 
of the food of the robin, based upon the examination of one hundred 
and fourteen stomachs. Prof. Forbes has tabulated his results as follows : 
I. Mollucsea, 1 per cent. of food for one month in 1 stomach. 
II. Insecta, 65 per cent. of food for whole year in 107 stomachs. 
1. Hymenoptera, 4 per cent. of food for whole year in 41 stomachs. 
2. Lepidoptera (larvee), 17 percent of fool for whole year in 56 stomachs, 
Noctuids, 8 per cent. of food for whole year in 23 stomachs. 
3. Diptera, 17 per cent. of food for whole year in 28 stomachs. 
Bibionide, 15 per cent. of food for whole year in 18 stomachs. 7 
4, Coleoptera, 18 per cent. of food for whole year in 81 stomachs. ; 
Carabids, 5 per cent. of food for whole year in 47 stomachs. 
Scarabeide, 7 per cent. of food for whole year in 40 stomachs. 
Lachnosterna, 3 per cent. of food for whole year in 10 stomachs. 
Elaterid, 2-per cent. of food for whole year in 20 stomachs. 
Rhynchophora, 2 per cent. of food for whole year in 30 stomachs. 
5. Hemiptera, 3 per cent. of food for year in 35 stomachs. 
6. Orthoptera, 4 per cent of food for year in 26 stomachs. 
Ii. Arachnida, 1 per cent. of food for year in 13 stomachs. 
IV. Myriapoda, 8 stomachs, 
VY. Earth-worms, 2 stomachs. 
VI. Fruits and seeds, 34 per cent. of food for year in 65 stomachs. 
Blackberries, 7 per cent. of food for year in 12 stomachs. 
Raspberries, 2 per cent of food for year in 4 stomachs. 
Cherries, 11 per cent. of food for year in 24 stomachs. 7 
Currants, 2 per cent. of food for year in 6 stomachs. 
Grapes, 7 per cent. of food for year in 10 stomachs. 
Mountain Ash, 1 per cent. of food for year in 2 stomachs, 
Sumach, 1 per cent. of food for year in 5 stomachs. 
