Discussion on Birds. 95 



Prof. Lemmon, of California — The sap-sucker is bad in Califor- 

 nia. He injures forest trees as well as fruit and ornamental trees. 

 This injurious sap-sucker is smaller than most other species of 

 woodpeckers. 



Prof. J. G. Ridpath,o^ Indmwa, — Mr. Holsinger is right. There 

 are other birds that make holes in trees like those of the sap-sucker, 

 and until we have better knowledge on the subject it would be 

 wiser not to destroy any of the woodpeckers. 



Mr. Van Deman — Prof. Ridpath is mistaken. Woodpeckers 

 bore holes wherever they can find a worm. These holes are not 

 bored at geometrical distances, and with the regularity of the sap- 

 sucker. 



ifr. /SjmV/i, of Wisconsin — Is the robin in this state a destructive 

 bird? 



Mr. Buck, of California —Robins with us are birds of passage. 

 Generally we have a few in the winter, but occasionally I have 

 seen them in large numbers. They are not destructive; but the 

 sap-sucker is one of our worst enemies, and often entirely destroys 

 the apricot trees. 



Mr. Grimes, of Minnesota — The sap-sucker should be destroyed, 

 and can easily be distinguished by the geometrical regularity of the 

 distances between the holes which he bores. Sometimes they will 

 bore as many as half a dozen rings around a tree, thus impeding 

 circulation and causing the death of the tree. The only objection 

 to birds is that they are destructive of small fruits ; but they more 

 than pay for what they eat, and should be ]irotected. 



Mr. iSmith — There are a great many birds on my place, where I 

 permit no boys with shotguns, and as we are very careful not to 

 disturb tiiem we can approach within ten feet of the robins before 

 they will fly. I have even moved birds' nests from one place to 

 another, and the old birds have returned to them. They sometimes 

 eat my Delaware grapes, but 1 think this is a proof of good taste 

 on their part, and do not seek to destroy them. 



3Ir. Estee, of California — Sap-suckers are destructive. I am in 

 favor of killing them to save the trees; but our most destructive 

 bird in Napa valley is the linnet. In the earlier years of California 



