So OUR BIRD ALLIES. 
in our behalf, and, being less addicted to fruit-eating 
than others of its kin, there is but little counter- 
balancing evil to place on the other side of the 
account. 
While the weather continues mild and open, the 
redwing feeds principally upon slugs, worms, and the 
occasional insects which appear during winter, or 
which leave their retirement for a time when the 
temperature is unusually high. During sharp frost, 
however, victims such as these are not obtainable, 
and the bird then falls back on snails and other 
hibernating molluscs, the eggs of insects, and the 
various pupe which pass through their period of 
quiescence in exposed situations. Jn very severe 
seasons even these fail, and in such a case the bird 
frequently dies of sheer starvation. 
STILL more useful, because remaining with us during 
the entire year, is the well-known Blackbird, whose 
services, however, are somewhat marred by its illicit 
proceedings when garden fruit is to be obtained. 
Concerning the food of the blackbird, Prévost- 
Paradol testifies as follows :— 
“January, seeds, spiders, and chrysalids; February, 
the same; March, worms, buds of trees, and grubs; 
April, insects, worms, and grubs; May, cockchafers 
and worms; June, worms, grubs, and fruit; July, all 
sorts of insects, worms, and fruit ; August, the same; 
September, the same; October, worms, chrysalids, 
and grubs of butterflies; November, seeds, corn, 
and chrysalids ; December, the same.” 
