3 56 XKBUA.SKA ^TATK HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Professor S. A. Forhet;, whom we have quoted quite extensively in 

 this paper relative to the ibod-habits of ditJerent ones of our birds, 

 says of the Catbird : "Keniemberiug that the chief economical service 

 of the Robin is done before and after the midsummer wealth of fruits 

 tempts it from the chase of insects, we find it not unreasonable that 

 the Catbird, coming later and departing earlier, scarcely anticipating 

 the garden fruits in its arrival and disappearing when the vineyard 

 and orchard are at their best, should be a much less useful bird than 

 its comj)anion. The credit I have given it must be still further re- 

 duced becau&e of its serious depredations in the apple orchard. I 

 iiave often i-een it busily scooping out the fairest side of the ripest 

 early apples, unsurpassed in skill and indufctry at this employment by 

 the Red-headed Woodpecker or the Blue Jay." 



The percentages of ini-ect food taken by this bird for five months, as 

 recorded by Forbes, are as follows, beginning with May and ending 

 with September: 83, 49, 18, 46, 21, or an average of 43. Each 

 farmer and fruit-grower can judge for himself as to what should be 

 <lone with this bird. For my part 1 would protect, but chastise him. 



705. Harporhynchus rufus (Linn.). — Brown Thrasher. 



West Point, Holt county, Sioux county, Omaha, Lincoln, etc. — breeds (L. 

 Biuner); " Abundant in Nebraska" (Aughey); "Summer resident, abundant, 

 arrives in April and remains till October" (Taylor); "west to the Rocky 

 mountains" (Goss); Beatrice, De Witt — breeding (A. S. Pearse); Omaha — 

 breeds (L. Skow); Peru, common— breeds (G. A. Coleman); Cherry county — 

 breeds (J. M. Bates); Ga^e county — breeds {V. A. Colby); "an abundant 

 summer resident, arrives April 5 to May 20, breeds May 21 to June 15, departs 

 Sept. 15 to 30" (I. S. Trostler). 



Although the Brown Thrush or Sandy Mockingbird is known to 

 feed largely upon fruits, and even to take considerable corn and other 

 grains, the per cent of insect food eaten by it during the time it is 

 with us will amount to about 51. This, taken together with its repu- 

 tation as a songster, will warrant us in abstaining from killing it. 

 Fsi)ecially will this be the case where we plant the Russian mulberry 

 to supply in part the place of the more useful fruits. 



715. Salpinctes obsoletus (-Say).— Rock Wren. 



Sioux county. West Point, Sidney fL. Bruuer); "Frequent in Nebraska" 

 (Aughey); "Summer resident, common " (Taylor); "east into western Iowa, 

 middle Kansas, and Texas" (Goss); Cherry county — breeds (J. M. Bates). 



