532 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



other of our familiar birds. Nearly everyone knows his various songs 

 and call notes, but in the early spring the notes of many other birds are 

 frequently mistaken for those of the Robin. Many a time my neighbors 

 have informed me that they had heard the Robin's first spring note when 

 my own observation taught me it was some note of the Nuthatch or the 

 Downy woodpecker. The loud cries of the Robin which signify distress and 

 alarm are well known to everyone. As the cats carry off the young birds 

 one by one this distressing cry is often heard about our gardens and lawns. 

 Also the fighting cry of the Robin when contending for the possession of 

 a mate or endeavoring to drive intruders from the feeding ground is 

 fully as familiar. The tut-tut note which is delivered as the Robin flies 

 up into a tree and bobs its tail, is of doubtful significance, but evidently 

 is simply intended to notify his friends that he is there. The rather 

 explosive ejaculation of four or five rapid notes uttered as the birds start 

 for a more or less extended flight, evidently serves the purpose of keeping 

 the company together. The ordinary song of the Robin is familiar to all, 

 the common evening chant heard from the time of the birds' arrival in 

 the spring till late in July. It is also heard in the morning from daybreak 

 until sunrise, as well as before rain and, in the nesting season, at almost 

 any time of day. 



Much discussion has taken place regarding the Robin's economic 

 status, and the general opinion of state and government experts seems to 

 be that he is a beneficial species, principally because of the great numbers 

 of cut worms, white grubs, smooth caterpillars, crane fly larvae and wire 

 worms which he destroys, and there can be no question but that he does 

 destroy immense numbers of those pests. The harm which he does — 

 if harm it must be considered — results from the destruction of predaceous 

 beetles like the black ground beetles and the tiger beetles which destroy 

 injurious insects. Of these he takes a considerable number, but it may 

 well be, as Mr Forbush contends, that if they were allowed to increase 

 indefinitely they might become too numerous and thus destroy each other, 

 so that the Robin's destruction of a few of these is not to be considered 



