52 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



of the same on their throats, and with the inner margins of the two cen- 

 tral tail feathers white. This bird should not be mistaken for two others, 

 most valuable birds which it nearly resembles, to wit : The Hairy Wood- 

 pecker (Ficus Villosus ei vars), and the Downy Woodpecker {Picus pub- 

 escens ei vars). These two species have the outer tail feathers white 

 (or barred with black), and have only a small patch of red on the 

 back of the heads of the males only. (The Yellow-Hammer, or Flecker, 

 Colaptus auratus, is somewhat colored wxx)'^ yellow, and should not be 

 mistaken for the Sap-Sucker; it is a much larger bird.) The Red-headed 

 Woodpecker {Melonerepes ery throe ephalus) sometimes pecks into apples, 

 and devours cherries, and should be placed in the next division (2 d'). 

 The Wrens, Ground Robin (known as Chewink), Meadow Lark, all the 

 Fly-Catchers, the King Bird, or Bee-Catcher, Whip-poor-will, Night 

 Hawk, or Goat-Sucker, Nut-hatcher, Pewee, or Pewit. All the Black- 

 birds, Bobolink, (!) American Cuckoos, Plovers, Snipe (Upland), Gros- 

 beaks and other Finches {^FringillidcE), Quails, Song Sparrow, Scarlet 

 Tanager, Black, White and Brown Creepers, Maryland Warbler, Indigo 

 Bird, Chirping Sparrows, Black-throated Bunting, Thrushes, except those 

 named in the next class, and all domestic fowls except geese. 



2 d. — Birds of doubtful utility. 



Which includes those which have beneficial qualities, but which have 

 also noxious or destructive qualities, in the way of destroying fruits, other 

 birds and their nests, and whose habits are not fully determined. (Thus 

 the Robin, Brown Thrush and Cat-bird are very valuable as cut-worm 

 eaters, but also very obnoxious to the small fruit-grower. The Jay (Blue 

 Jay) is not only destructive to grains and fruits, but very noxious in the 

 way of destroying the nests, eggs and young of smaller and better birds. 

 I think that notwithstanding his great beauty and sauciness, that he should 

 be placed in the last list.) Robin, Brown Thrush and Cat-bird, Shrike, 

 or. Butcher Bird, Red-headed Woodpecker, Jay-bird or Blue-jay, Crow 

 and the small Owls (screech owls). Pigeons and Mocking Birds. There 

 are many other birds that should be placed in one or other of the fore- 

 going lists ; but it will be safe, as a rule, to preserve all birds not named 

 in the two last lists. Those in the second list, the commission thought, 

 should not be preserved by legal enactments, but leave each person to 

 have his option as to destroying them or not. Those named in the next 

 and last list should be destroyed by all, whenever opportunity offers. 



3 d. — Birds that should be exterminated. 



Sap-Sucker, or Yellow-bellied Woodpecker (see above), Baltimore 

 Oriole, or Hanging Bird, (oh, what a pity,) Cedar Bird, or Wax-wings 

 {Ampelis cedroruni), Hawks and the larger Owls. 



V. — Preservation of Beneficial Insects. 



(There was not time to give this important subject the consideration 

 it deserves ; persons often make very serious mistakes when being damaged 



