They survived primarily on honey, an array of berries, acorns, sage, squirrels, rabbits and birds. Hazel nuts, apples, pears, sloes and acorns were collected. Mexican woodrats eat seeds, fruits, acorns, and cactus. The precious stones are arranged to form roses, thistles, shamrocks, oak leaves and acorns. While men were responsible for hunting, women were responsible for collecting berries, acorns and seeds. The mature trees shed varying numbers of acorns annually. The branches were decorated with apples, nuts, acorns and stars made of straw. Smaller bears climb trees to obtain mast (edible reproductive parts, such as acorns). The Chumash Indians gathered and prepared acorns and other seeds. The trees are always renewed from their own acorns. The acorns are much less bitter than the acorns of red oaks. Pigs were fattened on acorns in the forests. Caches of acorns and hickory nuts are heavily used in winter. This is particularly true of the acorns of American red oaks and English oaks. They eat rice, parsley, carrots, redbuds, acorns, buckwheat and a variety of water plants.