Diptera (flies) comprise 3.02 per cent of the food of the hermit thrush. The record shows, however, that nearly all of them are either crane flies (Tipulidæ) and their eggs and larvæ, or March flies (Bibio) and their larvæ. Over 150 of the latter were found in one stomach. Both of these families of flies lay their eggs in the ground, which accounts for their consumption by ground-feeding birds. Orthoptera (grasshoppers and crickets) are eaten by the hermit thrush to the extent of 6.32 per cent of its food. While this figure is not remarkable, it is the highest for any of the genus. These birds are fond of dark moist nooks among trees and bushes and do not feed extensively in those dry sunshiny places so much frequented by grasshoppers. A close inspection of the food record shows that the Orthoptera eaten by the thrushes are mostly crickets, which live in shadier and moister places than those where grasshoppers abound. A few miscellaneous insects (0.27 per cent) close the insect account. Spiders and myriapods (7.47 per cent) seem to constitute a very acceptable article of diet, as they amount to a considerable percentage in nearly every month, and in May rise to 20.79 per cent. A few miscellaneous animals, as sowbugs, snails, and angleworms, make up the balance of the animal food (1.26 per cent).
Following is a list of insects so far as identified and the number of stomachs in which found:
HYMENOPTERA.
Tiphia inornata
2
COLEOPTERA.
Elaphrus sp
1
Notiophilus semistriatus
1
Scarites subterraneus
1
Dyschirius pumilis
1
Pterostichus patruelis
1
Pterostichus sp
1
Amara sp
1
Chlænius pennsylvanicus
2
Stenolophus sp
1
Anisodactylus agilis
1
Tropisternus limbalis
2
Hydrocharis obtusatus
1
Sphæridium lecontei
1
Ptomaphagus consobrinus
1
Anisotoma valida
1
Megilla maculata
1
Anatis 15-maculata
1
Psyllobora tædata
1
Brachycantha ursina
1
Endomychus biguttatus
1
Cryptophagus sp
1
Hister marginicollis
1
Hister americanus
1
Saprinus fimbriatus
1
Carpophilus hemipterus
1
Perthalycra murrayi
1
Ips quadriguttatus
3
Cytilus sericeus
2
Cytilus sp
1
Byrrhus kirbyi
1
Byrrhus cyclophorus
1
Cryptohypnus bicolor
2
Drasterius dorsalis
1
Dolopius lateralis
1
Melanotus sp
2
Podabrus tomentosus
1
Canthon sp
1
Onthophagus tuberculifrons
1
Onthophagus sp
3
Ægialia lacustris
1
Rhyssemus scaber
1
Atænius abditus
1
Atænius cognatus
1
Atænius sp
1
Aphodius fimetarius
11
Aphodius granarius
1
Aphodius rugifrons
1
Aphodius inquinatus
9
Aphodius pardalis
1
Aphodius prodromus
4
Aphodius crassiusculus
1
Aphodius sp
11
Geotrupes semipunctata
1
Dichelonycha sp
1
Lachnosterna sp
17
Chrysomela pulchra
3
Lema nigrovittata
1
Chlamys plicata
1
Myochrous denticollis
2
Xanthonia 10-notata
1
Calligrapha scalaris
1
Leptinotarsa decemlineata
1
Phædon viridis
1
Diabrotica vittata
1
Odontota rubra
1
Odontota sp
1
Haltica torquata
1
Crepidodera helxines
1
Syneta ferruginea
1
Systena elongata
1
Chætocnema pulicaria
1
Psylliodes punctulata
1
Chelymorpha cribraria
1
Opatrinus notus
1
Opatrinus aciculatus
1
Blapstinus metallicus
1
Blapstinus rufipes
1
Salpingus virescens
1
Anthicus pubescens
1
Notoxus monodon
1
Notoxus denudatum
1
Notoxus sp
1
Attelabus rhois
1
Rhigopsis effracta
1
Cercopeus chrysorrhœus
4
Pandetetejus hilaris
1
Barypithes pellucidus
1
Sitones hispidulus
4
Sitones flavescens
1
Trichalophus alternatus
1
Apion sp
1
Listronotus latiusculus
1
Listronotus inæqualipennis
1
Listronotus sp
1
Macrops sp
2
Smicronyx corniculatus
1
Trachodes ptinoides
1
Conotrachelus nenuphar
2
Conotrachelus posticatus
5
Conotrachelus erinaceus
1
Rhinoncus pyrrhopus
1
Onychobaris insidiosus
1
Balaninus nasicus
1
Balaninus sp
1
Sphenophorus parvulus
1
Sphenophorus sp
1
Dendroctonus terebrans
1
HEMIPTERA.
Podops cinctipes
1
Nezara hilaris
6
Arhaphe cicindeloides
1
Corimelæna denudata
1
Myodocha serripes
2
ORTHOPTERA.
Amblycorypha rotundifolia
1
Œcanthus niveus
1
Vegetable food.—The vegetable diet of the hermit thrush consists largely of fruit, as with most birds of this group. As might be expected of a bird of such retiring habits, but little of the fruit eaten can be classed as cultivated. In September 5.45 per cent was so considered, but in most months the quantity was small, and in March, April, and May was completely wanting. The total for the year as found in 17 stomachs is 1.20 per cent. One stomach contained strawberries, one grapes, one figs, one currants, two apples, and the rest Rubus fruit, i. e., blackberries or raspberries. These last as well as the strawberries were probably wild. Of the wild fruit (26.19 per cent) 46 species were identified with a reasonable degree of certainty in 243 stomachs. A few seeds, ground-up vegetable matter not further identified, and rubbish make up the rest of the vegetable food (8.10 per cent). Among the seeds were some of the various species of poisonous Rhus. These were found in 18 stomachs, mostly from California. The dissemination of these seeds is unfortunate from the standpoint of husbandry, but many birds engage in it, as the waxy coating of the seeds is nutritious, especially in winter, when fruit and insects are not easily obtainable.
Following is a list of the components of the vegetable food so far as identified, and the number of stomachs in which found:
Cedar berries (Juniperus virginiana)
2
False Solomon's seal (Smilacina racemosa)
4
False spikenard (Smilacina sp.)
1
Greenbrier (Smilax walteri)
2
Cat brier (Smilax bona-nox)
2
Laurel-leaved greenbrier (Smilax laurifolia)
1
Other greenbriers (Smilax sp.)
11
Wax myrtle (Myrica cerifera)
1
Bayberries (Myrica carolinensis)
7
Chinquapin (Castanea pumila)
1
Western hackberries (Celtis occidentalis)
5
Other hackberries (Celtis sp.)
3
Figs (Ficus sp.)
1
Mulberries (Morus sp.)
1
Mistletoe berries (Phoradendron villosum)
2
Poke berries (Phytolacca decandra)
16
Miner's lettuce (Montia perfoliata)
1
Sassafras berries (Sassafras varifolium)
2
Spice berries (Benzoin æstivale)
1
Currants (Ribes sp.)
3
Sweet gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
2
Chokeberries (Pyrus arbutifolia)
1
Service berries (Amelanchier canadensis)
9
Hawthorn (Cratægus sp.)
1
Strawberries (Fragaria sp.)
1
Blackberries or raspberries (Rubus sp.)
5
Rose haws (Rosa sp.)
1
Wild black cherries (Prunus scrotina)
3
Three-seeded mercury (Acalypha virginica)
1
Staghorn sumach (Rhus typhina)
5
Smooth sumach (Rhus glabra)
5
Dwarf sumach (Rhus copallina)
7
Poison ivy (Rhus radicans)
3
Poison oak (Rhus diversiloba)
15
Laurel-leaved sumach (Rhus laurina)
2
Other sumachs (Rhus sp.)
12
Pepper berries (Schinus molle)
15
American holly (Ilex opaca)
9
Black alder (Ilex verticillata)
12
Ink berries (Ilex glabra)
9
Other hollies (Ilex sp.)
7
Strawberry bush (Euonymus americanus)
1
Roxbury waxwork (Celastrus scandens)
1
Supple-Jack (Berchemia volubilis)
2
Coffee berries (Rhamnus californicus)
1
Woodbine (Psedera quinquefolia)
10
Frost grapes (Vitis cordifolia)
2
Wild grapes (Vitis sp.)
1
Wild sarsaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis)
1
Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)
32
Rough-leaved dogwood (Cornus asperifolia)
2
Black gum (Nyssa sylvatica)
2
Checkerberry (Gaultheria procumbens)
1
Huckleberries (Gaylussacia sp.)
1
Blueberries (Vaccinium sp.)
12
Black nightshade (Solanum nigrum)
4
Bittersweet (Solanum sp.)
4
Goose grass (Galium aparine)
1
Honeysuckle (Lonicera sp.)
2
Indian currant (Symphoricarpos orbiculatus)
1
Downy arrowwood (Viburnum pubescens)
1
Nanny berries (Viburnum lentago)
2
Black elderberries (Sambucus canadensis)
4
Red elderberries (Sambucus pubens)
3
Fruit not further identifiedv60
In looking over this list one is impressed with the fact that the taste of human beings for fruit differs markedly from that of birds. For example, Rhus seeds are hard and have little pulp to render them palatable or nutritious. They are usually passed through the alimentary canal of birds or regurgitated unharmed, and the slight outer coating alone is digested. In the case of the poisonous species, this outer coating is a white wax or tallow which appears to be very nutritious, for these species are eaten much more extensively than the nonpoisonous ones. The seed itself is rarely broken in the stomach to get any nutriment it may contain. But in spite of these facts Rhus seeds were found in 49 stomachs, while fruits of huckleberries and blueberries, which are delicious to the human taste, were found in only 13 stomachs; and blackberries and raspberries, highly esteemed by man, were found in only 5 stomachs. Next to Rhus the fruit most eaten was the dogwood berry, found in 34 stomachs, yet from a human estimate these berries are distasteful and contain such large seeds that they afford but very little actual food.
Summary.—The hermit thrush, as it name indicates, is of solitary habits and neither seeks human companionship nor molests cultivated products. It destroys nothing indirectly helpful to man, as beneficial insects, but aids in the destruction of the myriad hosts of insect life which at all times threaten vegetation. While it is not easy to point out any especially useful function of the hermit thrush, it fills its place in the economy of nature, from which it should not be removed.
