BIRDS AND THE GARDEN 



plants of the garden or green waving corn or wheat 

 of the fields. The eggs hatch and the larvae instantly 

 begin their attacks on the vegetation, each according to 

 its kind. Some burrow underground and feed on 

 the roots ; others bore into the stems of plants and 

 eat out the pith ; others, again, attack the foliage, the 

 bud, or unripe grain or fruit. These brigands are 

 wily. They employ many clever devices to deceive 

 and to escape the attention of the owner of the produce 

 they are bent on devouring. In his tours of inspection, 

 or when labouring in the fields during the daytime, he 



Cleaning twigs of clusters of insects' eggs. 



sees but few, if any, of his enemies. The birds, 

 however, from long generations of inherited experience, 

 know the crafty ways and dodges of these thieving 

 rascals. At the first streak of dawn the birds are out 

 and busily searching the ground and vegetation before 

 the caterpillars have sought a place of concealment 

 beneath the loose soil, decaying leaves, grass, behind 

 bark, on the under side of the leaves, etc. Again, 

 at sundown the birds await the reappearance of the 

 robbers and snap them up. In fact, except during 

 the hottest part of the day, birds are busily searching 

 for their insect prey, merrily chirping, twittering, 

 and calling affectionately to one another all the 

 time. 



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