ITtllity of Birds In de^roying Infects, 57 



^f worms, infefts, and caterpillars, which often deftroy tho 

 very germs of vegetable life. 



' We are led to thefe reflections by perufing Profeflbr Bar- 

 ton's Fragments of the Natural Hiflory of Pennfylvania, lately 

 publifhed at Philadelphia. The utility of the following re- 

 marks on Infefs, as the food of birds, is our inducement for 

 laying them before our readers ; and the more fo as feveral 

 of the birds are natives of our own country, and a careful 

 obfervation of the habits, &c. of other Britifli birds would 

 in a Oiort time enable the natural hiftorian to point out fuch 

 of them as ought to be protected even by law. We need 

 hardly obferve, that many which partly live on feeds ought 

 neverthelefs to be included among the friends of mankind, 

 on account of the greater benefit'they yield by alfo deftroying 

 many infcfts, grubs, and other noxious vermin. 



^^ It may in the firft place be obferved," fays Dr. Barton, 

 "that infe6ls appear to be the firft food of almoft all the birds 

 of our country. The more I have inquired, the more I have been 

 convinced, that almoft all birds live, in fome meafure, upon in- 

 fe6ls. Even thofe fpecies which confume conliderable quantities 

 of feeds, berries, and fruit, alfo confume large quantities of 

 infeds : and there are reafons to believe, that others, whofe 

 principal food is the neftar of plants, alfo live partly upon 

 thefe infers. Thus Mr, Brandis found the veftiges of infe6ts 

 in the ftomach of the trochilus, or humming-bird, one of 

 the laft birds one would have fufpe6led of feeding on animal 

 food. 



" The greater number of our fmaller birds, of the order of 

 faffcrcs^ feem to demand our attention and protection. 

 Some of them feed pretty entirely upon infeds, and others 

 upon a mixed food — that is, infedts and the vegetable feeds, 

 &c. Many of them contribute much to our pleafure by the 

 melody of their notes. I believe the injury they do us is but 

 fmall compared to the good they render us. I lliall mention, 

 under fix different heads, a few of the ufeful birds' of this and 

 fome other orders. 



" T. Mvfcicapa acadka of Gmelin ? This is the lefTer 

 crefted fly-catcher of Pennant. It is called, in Pennfylvania, 

 the leflfer or wood-pewe. This little bird builds in woods 

 • Vol. IX. H and 



