116 STATE POMOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



orclianls. In doing this work the birds change their sly habits and soon seek 

 our friendship and protection. 



It is said there are thirty species of destructive insects that prey ui)ou our 

 garden vegetables, fifty u]ion grape vines, seventy-five upon apple trees, and up- 

 on our shade and ornamental tree?, at least one hundred. Predacious and 

 parasitic insects are constantly destroying many of those species, and with the 

 potato beetle, chinch bug, and others, not relished by tlie birds, tliese are our 

 main dependence. Yet the great majority of these insects are eagerly sought 

 by the birds, and are destroyed by them in countless numbers. 



The swallows are the natural guardians of the atmosphere ; the flycatchers 

 and sylvians, of the foliage; the nuthatches and creejiers, of the branches; 

 while the woodpeckers guard our forest timber from the attack of borers; and 

 the insects that infest the soil arc preyed upon by the robins, blackbirds, and 

 crows. So we might say that our earth is surrounded by an atmosphere of 

 birds, of which the highest strata is- made up of swallows, nighthawks, etc. ; 

 the next lower by the flycatchers and sylvians ; beneath this, tlie riuthatches 

 and creepers ; then the woodpeckers, and last of alL those that seek their food 

 lajjon the surface or in the soil. 



Among these latter are found some of our most industrious friends, such as 

 the robin and crow. About the services of these there is much dispute. I 

 have seen a small flock of the latter working for many days upon a field of 

 corn, digging cutworms from the hills, never disturbing a single kernel. I 

 have also observed them working upon a field of newly sown oats in the same 

 manner. Doubtless in localities where they are numerous and their insect 

 food scarce, they attack the young corn. This may also be the case with the 

 blackbird. At my place I have never know them to do the least harm. It is 

 interesting to watch the robin in his search for insects. Hopping along appar- 

 ently unconcerned, he suddenly stops, gives two or three vigorous pocks uj^on 

 the earth and draws forth some luckless cutworm or other larva. The number 

 of insects thus destroyed in a single day seems almost incredible. And yet 

 from his habit of taking his pay from our early cherry trees and selecting for 

 his own benefit some of our choicest strawberries and raspberries, he has many 

 enemies among the fruit-raisers. Mr. J. A. Allen of Si)ringfield, Mass., has 

 investigated the habits of the robin pretty thoroughly and says we can well 

 afford to spare him a share of our early fruits, if necessary, for his principal 

 food proves him to be not only the friend of the farmer but of the fruit grower 

 as well. Some object to him because of the familiarity of his Avays and the 

 obtrusiveness with whicii he presents his claims. They say he has no particle 

 of aristocratic taste. This may be true, yet I like the way in Avhich he docs 

 the business for the "l)ugs," and, certainly, when he looks one in the face 

 with that confident air of his, he has all the appearance of conscious honesty. 



I like the jay for his cheerful presence during our long winters, and the little 

 corn he takes, I give willingly. But he is frequently accused of robbing, and 

 should jirobably be classed among our doubtful friends. He certainly has a 

 bad reputation among his fellows, for he is rpnirrelsome and yet cowardly, be- 

 ing easily driven away by the robin. He takes great care of his young, watch- 

 ing over it with tender solicitude until fully grown. I saw a pair, not long 

 since, that had had their nest destroyed by a red squirrel, mourning over their 

 loss, and scolding for manv davs before beginning aijain their summer's work. 



I might go over a list of all our common birds, would time and s})ace permit, 

 but it hardly seems necessary. There is a question with many about the value 



