ENTOMOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF ONTARIO. 59 



of the sparrow in this locality, twenty-five years ago, chickadees were often found nest- 

 ing in old apple trees in the orchards in this region where now scarcely any are to be seen 

 in orchards during the summer. 



In the latter part of April and in early May the tent caterpillars made appearance 

 on the apple and cherry trees in the neighborhood. Canker-worms were also numerous 

 on the apples and elms and appeared in some of the other trees. It was noticed, however, 

 that while trees in neighboring orchards were seriously infested with canker-worms and 

 to a less degree with tent- caterpillars, those in the orchard which had been frequented by 

 the chickadees during the winter and spring were not seriously infested, and that com- 

 paratively few of the worms and caterpillars were to be found there. 



With the warm south winds of May, many summer birds came and settled in the 

 neighborhood and prepared to build their nests, among which the following were seen : 

 Chickadee (Parus atricapillus). Tree Sparrow {Spizella monticola), Crow (Corvus Ameri- 

 canus), Purple Grackle (Quiscalus quiscula). Flicker (Colaptes auratus), Red-winged 

 Blackbird {Agelaius phceniceus), Robin (Merula migratorta), Chipping Sparrow {Spizella 

 socialis), Ovenbird [Seiurus aurocapllliis), Wood Thrush (Titrdas mustelinus), Catbird 

 {Galeoscoptes caroliuensis), Brown Thrasher (Harporht/nchus ncfus), Black-billed Cuckoo 

 lCoccyzuserythropthcdmus),Ye\\Qwhi\led Cuckoo (Cocci/zics Americanus), Black and White 

 Warbler {MnioHlta varia), Yellow Warbler (Dendro/'ca a'itiva), Chestnut sided Warbler 

 (Dendroica Pennsylvanica), Black-throated Green Warbler {Dendroka virens), Pine 

 Warbler (Dendroica vigorsii), House Wren (Troglodytes cedon), American Redstart (Seto- 

 phaga rutieilla), Nashville Warbler (Helminthophila ruficapilla), Golden- winged Warbler 

 {Helminthophilachrysoptera), Scirlet Tanager (Piranga erythromelas), Rose-breasted Gros- 

 beak (Habia ludoviciana), Baltimore Oriole (Icterus galbula), Blue Jay (Cyanocitta cristata), 

 Least Flycatcher (Empidonax minimus). Wood Pewee (Gontopus virens) Phoebe (Savornis 

 phcebe), Kingbird {Tyrannus tyrannus), and Downy Woodpecker (Dryobates puhescens). 



It was noticeable that early in the season, when the webs of the tent-caterpillar 

 (Fig. 27) first appeared on the apple and cherry trees, the orioles attacked them and 

 devoured a consideral)le number of the hairy young larvje. A little later, when the 

 canker-worms became more numerous, it seemed as if all the birds in the neighborhood 

 were intent on eating canker-worms, neglecting to a certain extent the hairy caterpillars. 

 The cuckoos, however, seemed to feed impartially on both the canker-worm and the tent 

 caterpillar. 



Birds from all quarters in the wood and swamp, orchard and field, flocked into the 

 trees infested by canker-worms, and there spent a considerable portion of their time. In 

 a short time the few canker-worms remaining in the old orchard were apparently eaten 

 by birds, and the birds then directed their attention to the neighboring orchards, which were 

 swarming with the worms It soon became evident that these orchards would be entirely 

 stripi-ed of their leaves, while the old orchard retained its full foliage. Thus it was seen 

 that the trees to which the chickadees had been lured during the winter had been so well 

 protected that the summer birds were able to destroy the few remaining larvre, while the 

 trees at a distance from these contained so many larvfe that the birds were not numerous 

 enough to dispose of them or to make any effective reduction in their numbers. This 

 apparently demonstrated the usefulness of the egg-destroying winter birds, and showed 

 the wisdom of attracting them to the orchard during the winter months. Not only did 

 nearly all species of birds in the neighborhood flock to the trees infested by the canker- 

 worms, but the chickadees, living in their retirement in the woods, came out to the 

 orchards, flying some distance to procure canker-worms with which to feed their young, 

 and making regular trips to the infested trees day after day. 



On May 18, Mr. Bailey saw a female chickadee carry twenty larva? to its nest. 

 They were apparently all canker-worms but two, which were tent caterpillars. Of this 

 he IS certain, for he was within three yards of the nest to which the lerv;e were taken. 

 Later, on May 31, he noticed the chickadees feeding their young. It was evident that a 

 large portion of the food consisted of canker-worms. The birds each made a trip to the 

 nest about once in twelve minutes. The male and femile came at nearly the same time 



