1 USEFUL BIRDS. 
It is found in varying abundance over the United States and 
breeds throughout its range. The nest is characteristic, rather bulky 
but of loose construction, in which rootlets, moss, twigs, and lichens 
may appear, and is found in fruit trees or shade trees from six feet 
to fifteen or more above the ground. Eggs have been described 
as “putty colored.” There may be three, four, or five in a clutch 
and irregularly spotted with black or brownish markings. These 
birds are fond of canker worms and other caterpillars and are 
valuable allies in any orchard. One year in August I noted in the 
Red River Valley a fly-catching habit of this bird and find the 
following entry in my notes: “For almost half an hour, I watched 
six of these birds, constantly on the wing, hovering over a slough 
and catching quantities of (these) insects. They seemed never to 
grow tired, but flew slowly against the wind, deviating now a little 
to this side, now to that, until they reached the end of the slough, 
when back they came to repeat the same maneuvre and go over 
the same ground again and again. Occasionally, they uttered the 
characteristic note of the species, but, for the most part, flew silent- 
ly. During the time I stood watching them, they did not once rest.” 
CHESTNUT-SIDED WARBLER. 
(Plate 3, Fig. 17.) 
An attractive insect-eating summer resident, typical of the large 
family of warblers, a goodly number of which either pass through 
Minnesota in spring and fall, or nest here. A male bird is figured,— 
crown, yellow; sides of breast, chestnut; and some greenish yellow 
in the black of the upper parts; below, white; length, about five 
inches. It reaches Minnesota about the middle of May. 
CROW BLACKBIRD; PURPLE CRACKLE. 
(Plate 3, Fig. 18.) 
Eats white grubs, grasshoppers, and other insects including 
army worms but capable of doing damage in grain fields when 
present there in large flocks. It is at such times that a farmer is 
justified in protecting his crops by the judicious use of the shotgun. 
But the bird should not be classified as an enemy to the farmer be- 
cause it is also known to do good as indicated above. It is unfor- 
tunate that the engraver should have placed the bluebird’s head, 
with its contrasting blue, so close to the head of the blackbird. 
This inharmonious grouping came to the notice of the writer too 
late for correction. The crow blackbird is twelve inches long, 
