264 agricuIvTure; of main^. 



often very destructive to the gipsy moth, taking all stages but 

 the eggs, and undoubtedly will prove equally useful against the 

 brown-tail moth." 



The scarlet tanager is one of our rarest summer varieties and 

 is seldom seen by those unfamiliar with our feathered friends. 



They occasionally forget their natural shyness and are bold 

 enough to appear in the orchard just for a moment on some 

 chase for a choice tidbit in the line of a flitting moth or butter- 

 fly, their bright scarlet breast giving a quick flame of color 

 as they dart here and there in their rapid flight. We trust they 

 may find the brown-tail larvae just suited to their taste. 



On June 21st a catbird was detected feeding on the brown- 

 tail caterpillars. This bird is known to feed its young almost 

 wholly on insects, and it may take the brown-tail larvae occa- 

 sionally. 



July nth a Baltimore oriole was discovered feeding on tent 

 caterpillars, but the observer couldn't tell whether any brown- 

 tails were being disturbed. 



"Professor Beal finds that eighty-three and four-tenths per 

 cent of the oriole's food consists of animal matter, caterpillars 

 forming thirty-four per cent of the whole. Evidently the oriole 

 is one of the first among the birds known to destroy hairy 

 caterpillars, and for this alone it may be ranked as one of the 

 chief friends of the orchardist and forester. The tussock, 

 gipsy, brown-tail, tent and forest caterpillars, the fall web- 

 worm, and even the spiny caterpillar of the mourning cloak 

 butterfly, — all are greedily eaten by the Baltimore." 



(Forbush.) 



August 9th an Indigo bunting was seen tearing the burlap 

 from the trees to make her nest from the threads. Other 

 •cases were observed by the men, or the finished nests found. 



"This bird feeds more on the caterpillars that infest trees and 

 hushes than do most sparrows, and takes many such larvae to 

 its young." 



(Forbush.) 



STATE EXHIBITIONS AT FAIRS. 



Many requests are received asking for a collection of injuri- 

 ous insects to be placed on exhibition at the different Fairs in 

 the State, and it was deemed best to comply with the requests 



