ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 53 



ant form was the wingless (jri/on canadensis^ of which all but five specimens were 

 trom Dow's swamp. The closely allied, short-winged Ilophgrtjon brachyplerus was 

 almost as numerous, thrte of the specimens being from the Farm. The second in point 

 of numbers was Bceus ntinuius, which occurred only in the mosses from Dow's swamp, 

 Probably some individuals escaped my notice when I was sifting the moss, as it is much 

 the smallest species in the list. It is a very agile atom, and able to leap a considerable 

 distance, while even the least dust upon the paper suffices to hide it, as it is a mere speck 

 itself The whole forty-seven specimens placed head to tail would make a line hardly an 

 inch in length. As the members of this genus are parasitic in the eggs of spiders this 

 minute species will probably infesb the eggs of some of our smaller spiders, but I have not 

 yet succeeded in breeding any. The Cosmoconia is a fragile little form with narrow 

 wings, interesting chiefly as being the first mymarid which has been captured by me, and 

 probably the first recorded from Canada. In conclusion, it is hoped that these imperfect 

 lists and notes thereon may stimulate further observations on the winter habits of Cana- 

 dian insects. 



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 become 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 partial 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 situated as to be a favorite haunt for 

 birds. It forms part of an estate in Medford, Mass., lying near the southern 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 

 vicinity, and many tine 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 predominates, the other trees being principally 

 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 

 mulberry 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 Berheris vulgaris 

 (common barberry), Vitis lahrusca (northern fox grape), Rlius toxicodendron (poison ivy), 

 Prunus Americana (wild yellow plum), Prunus Pennsylvanica (wild red cherry), rr?mus 

 Virginiana (choke-cherry), Prunus revium (English cherry), Ruhus occidentalis (black rasp- 

 berry), Ruhus villosus (high blackberry). Rubies Idceus (garden raspberry), Rosa nitida 

 (wild rose), Pgrus malus (common apple), Ribes rubrum (common red currant), Fraxinus 

 Americana (white ash), Morics rubra {red mulberry), Quercus alba (white oak), Quercus 

 coccinea (scarlet oak), Pinus strobus (white pine), Pinus rigida (pitch pine), Thuja Can- 

 adensis (hemlock), Juniperus Virginiana (red cedar). 



The orchard itself is a typical old orchard, such as is often found on snull farms. It 

 has suffered greatly from neglect. Two-thirds of the original trees have died or are in the 

 last stages of dissolution. This is largely the result of neglect and improper pruning. 

 Dead limbs and hollows in the trees have offered nesting places for such birds as the wren, 

 woodpecker and bluebird. 



* Reprinted from The Museum by kind permission of the author. 



