276 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



Of the Warblers (of which nineteen are recorded as British) 

 three only need be discussed, namely, the Blackcap {Sylvia 

 atricapilla, Linn.), the Whitethroat (S. cinerea), and the Garden 

 Warbler {S. hortcnsis, Bechstein) ; the remainder, if not actively 

 beneficial as aphis and other insect destroyers, are at least 

 innocuous. 



The Blackcap does any amount of harm in the garden 

 and fruit plantation. Mr. F. Smith (3) tells us that "a family 

 of blackcaps in a cherry orchard will commit great havoc." 

 Mr. Archibald (5) mentions it as being devoted to currants, 

 strawberries, raspberries, and cherries, whilst, like the White- 

 throat, it opens pea-pods. " Its visits to the garden, therefore," 

 he says, " cannot be considered altogether desirable." It is also 

 known as the Fig Bird, as it consumes that fruit in enormous 

 quantities. The spiders, insects, etc., that it also eats do not 

 apparently make up for the harm it does. 



The Whitethroat is as bad in habits, and should be rigidly 

 excluded from plantation and garden ; and the same is said 

 of the Garden Warbler. Fortunately, both the latter are not 

 sufficiently common to do very much harm. Mr. C. Hooper (1) 

 records the Whitethroat also as attacking green gooseberries. 



Of the three recorded Flycatchers the Spotted Flycatcher 

 {Muscicapa grisola, Linn.) is the only common one. It is most 

 beneficial, feeding solely upon insects, including many of those 

 which devour our crops and fruit. It seems that all accusations 

 against them fail when carefully examined. Their encourage- 

 ment and protection should thus be rigidly enforced. 



Of other summer migrants the Cuckoo (Cucuhis canonis, 

 Linn.) is a decidedly useful bird, and does no harm. It is the 

 only powerful natural check we have on such insect pests as 

 the hairy caterpillars of the lackey and brown-tail moths, and 

 other similar depredators of our woods and plantations. 



As ant-destroyers we have the Wryneck {lynx torquilla, 

 Linn.), too scarce, unfortunately, to do much good in lessening 

 their numbers, and the Woodpeckers (Picadae). 



The latter are too few by far, for they do good in endless 

 ways in woods and plantations and seldom do any serious damage. 

 At one time they have been considered harmful, at another 

 beneficial. In the orchard they seem to be in favour, for they 

 certainly destroy wood-boring insects. In the forest, authors 

 and foresters seem to disagree as to their utility. According to 



