the year consists of animal matter (insects and their allies). Prominent among these are the Colorado potato beetle, the striped squash beetle, the cottonboll-weevil, grasshoppers. As a weed destroyer the quail has few, if any, superiors. Moreover, its habits are such that it is almost constantly on the ground, where it is brought in close contact with both weed seeds and ground-living insects. It is a good ranger, and, if undisturbed, will patrol every day all the fields in its vicinity as it searches for food.
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Fig. 325.—Nightingale, × 1/3.
Fig. 326.—Skylark, × 1/3.
Two celebrated European songsters.]
Doves.—The food of the dove consists of seeds of weeds,
together with some grain. The examination of the contents of
237 stomachs shows that over 99 per cent of the food consists
wholly of vegetable matter.
Cuckoos.—An examination of the stomachs of 46 black-billed cuckoos, taken during the summer months, showed the remains of 906 caterpillars, 44 beetles, 96 grasshoppers, 100 sawflies, 30 stink bugs, and 15 spiders. Of the yellow-billed cuckoos, or "rain-crow," 109 stomachs collected from May to October, inclusive, were examined. The contents consisted of 1,865 caterpillars, 93 beetles, 242 grasshoppers, 37 sawflies, 69 bugs, 6 flies, and 86 spiders.
