104 



BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



eleven per cent, being blackberries, eight per cent, cherries, 

 one per cent, currants, and five per cent, grapes. Thirty 

 parts of the food consist of injurious insects and eight parts 

 of beneficial species, while twenty-six parts consist of edible 

 fruits." This, however, refers only to the adult birds, the 

 food of the young not being sufficiently known to be included 

 in the estimate. All the observations on record indicate 

 that the nestlings of thrushes are fed upon insects, especially 

 smooth caterpillars like the cutworms, so that there is little 

 doubt that this factor would largely increase the already con- 

 clusive evidence as to the great value of this splendid family. 



The charming little kinglets of the family ISylvUdw are among 

 the most deUghtful of the pygmy birds. They frequent the tops 

 of tall trees so constantly that they are seldom seen by most 

 people. Two species are rather common in our Nortliern 

 States, the Golden-crowxkd and the Ruby-croWx\ed Kinglets. 

 Both are insectivorous in llicir feeding habits. 



i; <.i ii.iii;n I Kdw N i:i( k i 



