74 BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



fessor Aughey made a careful investigation of this subject, 

 both by out-door observations of Uving birds and by in-door 

 examinations of stomach contents. His tabulated results 

 show conclusively that birds of all kinds Avere doing their best 

 to reduce the numbers of the locusts. A brief summary of 

 the principal facts will indicate the truth of this. 



Beginning with the thrushes and their allies, we find that 

 six robins had eaten two hundred and sixty-five locusts, 

 three wood-thrushes had taken sixty-eight locusts, one 

 hermit-thrush contained nineteen locusts, two olive-backed 

 thrushes were responsible for the death of fifty-five 'hoppers, 

 while two AVilson's thrushes had destroyed seventy-three 

 more. Five cat-birds had eaten one hundred and fifty-two 

 of these insects. 



Sixty-seven locusts were taken from the stomachs of three 

 bluebirds and twenty-nine from one little ruby-crowned 

 kinglet, while four tufted titmice yielded two hundred and 

 fifty of the pests and nine long-tailed chickadees contained 

 four hundred and eighty-one of them. Four slender-billed 

 nuthatches — the western representative of the white-breasted 

 nuthatch — had eaten ninety-three locusts. Even the little 

 warblers ate many of the pests, naturally choosing the 

 younger specimens. Seven golden warblers had taken sev- 

 enty-seven locusts and one hundred and seventy-six other 

 insects. Five black-throated green warblers contained one 

 hundred and sixteen 'hoppers and one hundred and four other 

 insects. Four black-poll warblers had eaten one hundred 

 and twenty-three locusts, varying their diet with forty-seven 

 insects of other kinds. Eight prairie- warblers devoured one 

 hundred and sixteen of the locusts and a greater number 

 of other insects ; while the golden-crowned thrush had fed 

 upon both the 'hoppers and their eggs. Many warblers were 

 seen feeding their nestlings with young locusts. 



While the warblers paid most attention to the immature 

 grasshoppers, the swallows fed chiefly u})on the adult winged 



