54 TRANSACTIONS OF THE ILLINOIS 



The grape leaf mildew (fungus) is occasionally very destructive in 

 damp, warm seasons. If taken early, a complete preventive is found in 

 sulphur dusted over the leaves. (I have no doubt but that the lime and 

 sulphur combination would be a better and much cheaper application for 

 this purpose.) 



The striped (prairie) ground squirrel digs up for food the May beetle, 

 both in the imago and larvse, sometimes destroying great numbers of 

 them. (This is a very strange y»r/, and shows how easily we may be mis- 

 taken in facts concerning animal life ; this shows us that this beautiful 

 little creature, which has by all been considered very noxious to the 

 farmer, is one of his very best friends, and should be most religiously pre- 

 served ; his faults, digging up a little corn, can be easily overcome in 

 many ways, notably, by giving it plenty of corn to be had without the 

 digging ; if this little animal eats May beetles, he undoubtedly eats other 

 noxious, vegetable feeding beetles.) The beneficial cannibal insects {Crab- 

 idce) are not preyed upon to any extent by birds and animals, for the 

 reason that they have good protection in their being very high flavored. 

 We have many other small animals, which are ruthlessly destroyed, that 

 should be most carefully fostered, notably, the common mole, shrew mice, 

 bats, skunks (?), (one of the very best, but rather high flavored,) raccoons, 

 opossums (?). Let them have a few chickens, etc. 



Note. — The English sparrow was left out by accident in its ])roper connection, but 

 Prof. Forbes requests me to say, that after consulting all available authorities, and by 

 personal inquiry, that the balance sheet shows a slight preponderance of testimony in 

 its favor as a valuable insectiverous bird, but that he is not inclined to extend to it the 

 par excellence value that many have ignorantly claimed for it. For one, I am fully in- 

 clined to believe that great wrong has been done by importing this fighting, mischievous 

 bird, believing that it will drive more beautiful and beneficial birds entirely from our 

 gardens, orchards and groves. 



To this paper is annexed the following appendix giving the scientific 

 nltmes of the different families of birds. 



APPENDIX. 



SCIENTIFIC NAMES OF FAMILIES OR SPECIES OF BIRDS IN THE FOREGOING LISTS, 



IN THE ORDER ENUMERATED. 



FIRST CLASS — BIRDS TO BE PRESERVED. 



1. Bl.lEKiRD — Family, SAXICOLID^; genus, Sialia; species, Sialia sialis (Linn.j 



2. Titmice — Family, PARID.E; subfamily, Parin.-E; genws, Lophopkanes ; species, 



L. Bicolor (Linn.); genus, Parus ; species, P. Alrica/>zllt(s CLinn.), and P. Car- 

 ol In ensis (Aud.) 



3. Warp.LERS (American) — Family, MNIOTILLID^E; genus, Mniotilta; species, M. 



varia (Linn.j, (black and \Ahite creeper, striped creeper) ; also the group Ver- 

 MIVOR^ (the worm-eating warblers) ; the group Dendroic.^ (the wood warblers) ; 

 the group Geothlype.^ (the ground warblers, including the Maryland yellow- 

 throat) ; group IcTERi.E (chat warblers) ; genus, Icteria ; species, /. virens (Linn.) 

 (yellow-breasted chat — "yellow mocking-bird"); genus, Setophaga ; species, S. 

 ruticilla (red-start, black-and-red fly-catching warbler). 



4. Kinglets (Ruby-crowned and Golden-crowned Wrens) — Regulus calendula (Linn.), 



(ruby-crowned), and R. satropa (Licht.), (golden-crowned). 



