370 



THE MUSEUM. 



trated in the East North Range by ap- 

 paratus, models and pictures. The 

 National Zoological Park is also an 

 outgrowth of the National Museum, its 

 nucleus being a collection of animals 

 used for working models by the Mu- 

 seum taxidermists. The Park chiefly 

 owes its existence to the efforts of Mr. 

 W. T. Hornaday, former Chief Taxi- 

 dermist. 



One of the principal embarassments 

 of the Museum officials is the immense 

 amount of material held by them; an- 

 other building the size of the present 

 one could probably be filled without 

 exhausting the storage rooms. 



Birds as Protectors of Orchards. 



By E. H. Forbush, Ornithologist, 



OF THE Massachusetts Board of 



Agriculture. 



Having had, during the last twenty 

 years, some opportunity for observing 

 the food habits of birds, I have be- 

 come convinced that they destroy 

 enormous numbers of insects. This 

 conviction gives rise to the question, 

 to what extent are birds useful to man 

 in this respect.^ 



The present paper is merely a par- 

 tial record of the results of an attempt 

 to foster and protect birds in an old 

 and neglected orchard with a view to 

 observing the effect of such a policy 

 upon the trees. The orchard is so sit- 

 uated as to be a favorite haunt for 

 birds. It forms part of an estate in 

 Medford, Mass. , lying near the south- 

 ern border of the stretch of wooded 

 rocky hills known as the "Middlesex 

 Fells," a large part of which is now 

 under the control of the Metropolitan 

 Park Commission of Massachusetts, 

 and is being administered as a forest 



reservation. The nearest estates on 

 the east and west of the orchard are 

 cultivated to some extent. There are 

 other orchards in the immediate vicin- 

 ity, and many fine and large shade 

 trees. There are also on the estate in 

 question many varieties of trees and 

 shrubs. There is a small piece of 

 woodland, covering perhaps an acre 

 and a half, in which yellow pine pre- 

 dominates, the other trees being prin- 

 cipally ash, oak and maple, some 

 hickory and a few white pines. A 

 lane running along the southern border 

 of the estate is bordered on both sides 

 with elms and poplars. A line of mul- 

 berry trees along the lane south of the 

 orchard affords tempting food for such 

 birds as are fond of fruit in its season. 

 There are also many wild cherries and 

 berries of several varieties, together 

 with half a dozen trees of cultivated 

 cherries. 



* Among the trees, shrubs and vines 

 found on the estate and which furnish 

 food for birds in the shape of berries 

 or seeds at certain seasons of the year 

 are the Bcrberis vulgaris (common 

 barberry), Vitis labrusca (Northern 

 fox grape), RJius toxicodcjidron (poison 

 ivy), Pnimis amcricana (wild yellow 

 plum), Priimis pcnnsylvanica (wild 

 red cherry), P?-2i)ius 2'irgi)iiana{chok&- 

 cherry), Pniiius ceviinn (English 

 cherry), Rubus occidentalis (black 

 raspberry), Rubus villosus (high black- 

 barry), Rubus idccus (garden rasp- 

 berry), Rosa nit i da (wild rose), Pyrus 

 uialus (common apple), Ribcs rub rum 

 (common red currant), F rax i mis 

 amcricana (white ash), Morns rubra 

 (red mulberry), Que reus alba (white 

 oak), Qucrcus cocci nca (scarlet oak), 

 Pinus strobus (white pine), Pinus 

 rigida (pitch pine), Tsuga canadensis 



