20 



THE OOLOGIST 



Trie ©ato^isi 



FIFTH PUBLICATION YEAR. 



SEPTEMBER, 1879. 



Every collector should have the series 

 of papers and illustrations appearing at in- 

 tervals in this volume. Representations of 

 the nests of birds are so seldom given that 

 a series like the one projected ought to be 

 valued by all nature lovers. 



We offer a few subscriptions to the Fan- 

 ciers' Journal^ clubbed with this publica- 

 tion, for $1.60. Young oologists wishing 

 to be kept posted upon current bird egg 

 matters will do well to avail themselves of 

 this opportunity to get two journals much 

 cheaper than they otherwise could. 



Our table of contents for fall and winter 

 promises to be unusually interesting. Three 

 papers are promised by well known nat- 

 uralists on subjects of special interest, and 

 collectors from all parts will make the de- 

 partments of items and notes full and read- 

 able. 



Collectors interested in scientific and 

 systematic labeling of their bird-skins are 

 invited to send for a sample of our new la- 

 bel. It is quite small, and in order to make 

 it complete, both sides are lettered for use. 

 Being already furnished with strings, a col- 

 lection furnished with these labels will have 

 a uniform appearance. 



BIRDS AND INSECTS. 



"PEW persons are aware of the numbers 

 of insects destroyed by birds, and only 

 those who have thoroughly investigated the 

 subject are competent to make a just dis- 

 crimination between different species, ac- 

 cording to the services they render or harm 

 they do to mankind and his possessions. 

 Even about our homes and gardens, mate- 

 rial for a full understanding of the subject 

 is limited, not only on account of the few- 

 ness of the species, but from the abundance 

 of foods of one kind or another, between 

 which and insects some birds do not so dis- 

 criminate as to enable us to properly esti- 

 mate their good or bad qualities. Certain 

 species, however, are known to play an im- 

 portant part in nature's economy and to 

 adhere rigidly to insect diet. In localities 

 where the requirements of each different 

 species are naturally limited and extraneous 

 food neither desired nor obtainable, possi- 

 bly it would not be so difficult to judge ap- 

 proximately a bird's utility ; but, unfortu- 

 nately, such fields are so seldom visited by 

 competent scientists, that our knowledge of 

 the real value of birds is measurably small. 

 Let us for a moment consider, in the 

 class of birds just mentioned, those inhab- 

 iting wild, densely wooded tracts of country. 

 In the first place, it is evident that the birds 

 we find here are those whose food is to be 

 found upon or among the trees. It will be 

 readily observed, that, since small birds 

 exist here in much the larger numbers, and 

 as vegetable and animal food are mainly 

 required by large birds, the number of in- 

 sects devoured, the natural and only food 

 of the former, must be enormous. Insect 

 eating birds are here found, whose con- 

 struction adapts them for the numerous dif- 

 ferent spheres in which their insect prey is 

 to be found ; and how admirable this justi- 

 fication is, we have only to reflect a mo- 

 ment to confirm. Each tree, shrub and 

 plant seem to be or have been closely scru- 

 tinized by the birds ordained to search them ; 

 and not only that, but several species, each 



