208 



MASSACHUSETTS AGRICULTURE. 



throats amongst birds as well as amongst men ; and it is just 

 as sensible to pronounce the human race good for nothing be- 

 cause of the depravity of a portion of its members as to say 

 that birds are useless because a few sj^ecies are inclined to 

 wrong-doing. The following table will give an idea of the 

 food of the more common birds of Massachusetts, and will 

 serve as a ready means of distinguishing the injurious from 

 the beneficial species : — 



Fajuly. 

 Falconidaw, Hawks, . 

 Strigidce, Owls, . . 



Cuculidw, Cuckoos, . 

 Picidce, Woodpeckers, 



Order — Eaptores (Robbers). 



Subsist on small birds and animals, and poultry. 

 Mice, reptiles, insects, and a few small birds. 



Order — Scansores (Climbers). 



Caterpillars and other tree-insects, and a few 



eggs of other birds. 

 Insects (a very beneficial family). 



Order — Inses$ores (Perchera). 

 Insects. 

 All kinds of winged insects. 



Night-flying Lepidoptera (very beneficial). 



Fish. 



Flies and other winged insects. 



Insects and a few small fiuits and berries. 



Insects. 



Insects. 



TrociUdw, Humming-birds, 



Cypselidce., Swifts, .... 



Caprimulgidw, Whippoor- 

 wills and Night-hawks, . 



Alcedinidce, Kingfishers, . . 



Colopteridw, Flycatchers, . 



Turdidw, Thrushes, . . . 



Saxicolidm, Bluebirds, . . 



Sylfiidw, Wood-inhabiters, 



Paridw, Titmice and Nut- 

 hatchers, Insects and their eggs. 



Certhiiada', Creepers, . . Insects. 



Troglodi/tidce, Wrens, . . . Insects. 



Si/IvicoUdce, Warblers, . . Insects and the seeds of weeds and grasses 



JJirundinidce, Swallows, . All kinds of winged insects 



BombycilUdw, Chatterers, . Various insects and cherries. 



Laniidw, Vireos and Butcli- 



er-birds, Insects and small birds respectively, 



FringilUdw, Seed-eaters, 



Icteridce, Starlings, Orioles 



and Blackbirds, . . . 



CorvidcE, Crows and Jays, . 



CohnnUdce, Doves, . . 

 Tetraonidw, Grouse, . 

 Perdicidce, Partridges, 



Ardeidw, Herons, . . 

 Charadridce, Plovers, 

 SeolopacidcB, Snipes, . 

 Paludicolw, Rails, . . 



Anatidw, Ducks, 



Various seeds, fruits and some insects. 



Starlings and Blackbirds, grains and other seeds. 



Orioles, various tree-insects. 

 Eggs and young of small birds, a few insects, 



corn and other grain. 



Order — Easores (Scratchers). 

 Berries, nuts and seeds. 

 Various seeds, insects and berries. 

 Seeds, berries and a few insects. 



Order — GraUatorts (Waders). 



Fish, frogs, mice and insects. 



Aquatic insects. 



Worms, larvfe of insects, and grasshoppers. 



Various insects and water-worms. 



Order — Natatores (Swimmers). 

 Small shell-fish and other aquatic animals. 



Laridw, Gulls, Fish and various animals washed up by the sea. 



We cannot close this paper without saying a word in regard 

 to those two birds which have occasioned so much debate 

 among farmers and others, — the crow and the robin. At one 



