106 NEBRASKA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 



board of the society, and see what can be done along this line, that 

 has been discussed here. 



Seconded. Carried. 



Mr. Marshall: A.s you all know, we have with us, several visitors 

 from Iowa, and they are distinguished fruit growers and citizens of 

 Iowa. I move you they be made honorary members of this society. 

 Also the gentleman from Missouri, Mr. Grigsby. 



Seconded. Carried. 



Mr. Spencer, Mr. Reeves, Mr. H. R. Rice, Prof., C. E. Bishop, 

 Prof. F. M. Harringtton, Prof. F. J. Maney, Mr.; Sorebar, and Mr. 

 Grigsby elected to honorary membership of the society. 



Mr. Marshall: Is anyone outside of the state eligible to active 

 membership in this society? 



The Chairman: There is nothing to prevent it that I know of. 

 I will announce that committee a little later in the session. The next 

 paper or subject before you, is by R. W. Dawson of the University of 

 Nebraska, upon "Birds that Harm, and Birds that Benefit the Fruit 

 Grower." " 



BIHDS THAT HARM AND BIRDS THAT BENEFIT THE FRUIT 



GROWER. 

 Prof. B. W. Dawson, University of Nebraska. 



THE CHICKADEE. 



From among the many species of birds which occur in the 

 orchard, none are more worthy of our attention than the common 

 chickadee. This little bird is at once recognized b ythe cheery and 

 often repeated call-note, "chickadee - dee - dee," or by its clear 

 musical whistle "pee - wee," with the second syllable whistled about 

 a tone and a half lower than the first; tais latter call-note being one 

 uttered most frequently during the cold, stormy days of early spring. 



In addition to its pleasing notes the chickadee possesses an attrac- 

 tive Individuality. The throat and top of the head being lustrous 

 black, in contrast to the sides of the face, which are pure white, 

 while above the general color is a bluish gray or slate color, and 

 below whitish strongly tinted with buff on the sides. The motto of 

 his activities has been aptly described as "any old side up without 

 care." 



The chickadee is one of the comparatively few birds which 

 remains common both summer and winter, and it is this fact consid- 

 ered in the lisht of its food habits which causes us to rate it as one 

 cf the most beneficial birds of the orchard. Even in winter, over 

 half of the chickadee's food consists of insects, and their eggs, 

 while In the spring and summer aa high as 9 8 per cent of the con- 

 tents of the chickadee's stomach have been found to consist of 



