THE ORIOLES, BLACKBIRDS. CROWS, AND JAYS. 157 



for by the destruction of noxious insects. Its services in the 

 latter direction are especially helpful because it feeds freely 

 upon tent caterpillars and other hairy larvae that very few 

 l)irds will toudi. Even the spiny caterpillars of the Vanessa 

 butterfly are taken by it. Three of these orioles shot in an 

 Illinois orchard infested by canker-worms had eaten forty per 

 cent, of these pests and fifty per cent, of an injurious leaf- 

 chafer {AnoiiKthi hinofdta). Professor Augliey found that iu 

 Nebraska the nestliui^s were fed freely with youn^^ Rocky 

 Moiuifain locusts, of which also the old birds ate large num- 

 bers. In Massachusetts these birds have been observed 

 feeding their nestlings with canker-worms. Professor Beal 

 states that caterpillars alone formed thirty-four per cent, of 

 the food of one hundred and thirteen specimens examined, 

 while vegetable matter of any sort had been eaten only to 

 the extent of sixteen per cent. In Arkansas these orioles 

 have been found to destroy great numbers of the catalpa 

 sphinx larvae, which when unmolested defoliate the catalpa- 

 trees. This species is called the golden robin in some regions. 

 ''I was sittiug at the window one day in May," Avrote 

 Wilson Flagg many years ago, "when my sister called my 

 attention to a golden robin in a black-cherry tree, devouring 

 the common hairy caterpillars ; and we counted the number 

 he consumed while he remained on the branch. The tune 

 that elapsed was just one minute by the watch, and during 

 this space he destroyed seventeen caterpillars. But it is 

 worthy of notice that he did not swallow the whole insect. 

 After seizing it iu his bill, he carefully set his foot upon it, 

 tore it asunder, and swallowed a small portion taken from 

 the inside, llr llicu seized olhers in siicce.^.^ion, and in like 

 maimer selected and devoured his favorite morsel. Had he 

 consumed the whole cater])illar live or six only would i)robably 

 have satistled his apix'tite." • 



' Agrirulfurc of M;issai-Inisetts, 18(51, I'nrf II. p. 52. 



