. The economic value of birds to the state . onsists of grain, weed, and other hard seeds ; grain in gen-eral amounts to 14, and weed and other seeds to 12 per cent. The grain, principallycorn, is mostly eaten in winter and early spring, and must be, therefore, simplywaste kernels ; only a trifle is consumed in summer and autumn, when it is mostplentiful. No trace of sprouting grain was discovered. Clover seed was found inonly six stomachs, and but little in each. Seeds of weeds, principally ragweed, barngrass, and smartweed, are eaten from November to April, inclusive, but during therest of t
. The economic value of birds to the state . onsists of grain, weed, and other hard seeds ; grain in gen-eral amounts to 14, and weed and other seeds to 12 per cent. The grain, principallycorn, is mostly eaten in winter and early spring, and must be, therefore, simplywaste kernels ; only a trifle is consumed in summer and autumn, when it is mostplentiful. No trace of sprouting grain was discovered. Clover seed was found inonly six stomachs, and but little in each. Seeds of weeds, principally ragweed, barngrass, and smartweed, are eaten from November to April, inclusive, but during therest of the year are replaced by insects. Briefly stated, more than half of the Meadowlarks food consists of harmfulinsects; its vegetable food is composed either of noxious weeds or waste grain, andthe remainder is made up of useful beetles or neutral insects and spiders. A strongpoint in the birds favor is that, although naturally an insect eater, it is able to sub-sist on vegetable food, and, consequently, is not forced to migrate in cold weather. Upper figure, TREE SPARROWLower figure, SNOWFLAKE ABOUT ^ NATURAL SIZE. ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS TO THE STATE. 47 any farther than is necessary to find ground free from snow. This explains why itremains for the most part in the United States during winter, and moves northwardas soon as the snow disappears from its usual haunts. There is one danger to which the Meadowlark is exposed. As its flesh ishighly esteemed the bird is often shot for the table, but it is entitled to all possibleprotection, and to slaughter it for game is the least profitable way to utilize a valu-ble species. (Beal.) SPARROWS AND FINCHES. Family Fringillidae. While Sparrows are noted seed eaters, they do not by any means confine them-selves to a vegetable diet. During the summer, and especially in the breedingseason, they eat many insects, and probably feed their young largely upon the samefood. An examination of the stomachs of three species—the Song Sparrow{JSIelos
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