148 
Birds— continued. 
mention the chief amongst the migrants and the perma- 
nent dwellers, weighing as far as possible their merits 
and demerits. As a general rule, insectivorous Birds 
have a slender and more or less elongated beak; while 
in the seed-eaters this structure is bulky and short. 
Commencing with the Corvide, we have some very 
familiar species in the Rook, Magpie, and Jay. The 
Rook (Irypanocorax frugilegus) is on the whole one of 
the most useful Birds that we have, as it is one of the 
most persecuted. Generally its food consists of insects 
—insects, too, of the most destructive +kind, such as 
the grubs of the Skipjack Beetles (Wireworms), Daddy 
Long-legs (Leather Jackets), and Cockchafers. In the 
process of searching for these in pastures and lawns, the 
grass is frequently ripped up and rendered most 
unsightly; but of the benefit in such cases where insecti- 
cides are powerless, there cannot be any doubt. The 
worst that can be said against the Rook in gardens and 
orchards is that it will forsake its insect dietary for 
one of fruit or vegetables, when anything from Walnuts 
and Pears to young Potatoes will be laid under con- 
tribution. The Jay (Garrulus glandarius), a fast dis- 
appearing species, is an enemy, as the Bird will make 
short work of fruit of any kind as well as Peas. 
Fig, 171. 
HAWFINCH. 
To the Sturnide belongs one of the most useful Birds, 
alike to farmer and gardener, in the Common Starling 
(Sturnus vulgaris). That it makes a raid upon Cherries 
is perfectly true, but that it well earns them, by 
destroying myriads of-Wireworms and .Leather Jackets, 
is well known to everyone who has paid attention to 
the subject. 
A very large family, the Fringillide, next claims 
attention. In it are found some of the most destructive 
species—the Bullfinch (Pyrrhula ewropxa) for instance. 
For Gooseberry and Currant bushes this Bird has a 
special fondness, denuding them almost entirely of 
their buds. A somewhat local species is the Hawfinch 
THE DICTIONARY OF GARDENING, 
Birds—continued. 
(Coccothraustes coccothraustes) (Fig. 171); but itis a destruc- 
tive one so far as the fruit-grower is concerned, being 
especially fond of stone fruits. The Greenfinch (Chloris 
chloris) is one of the commonest Finches, and a seed- 
eater in the main, though, like many others, it brings up 
its family upon insects. And similarly of the Chaffinch 
(Fringilla celebs), which generally is voted a nuisance 
by gardeners. The Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), one 
of the handsomest of British birds and now one of 
the most local, is useful, as it feeds almost entirely 
upon thistles. The Linnet (Cannabina cannabina) must 
not be regarded unfavourably, although entirely a 
seed-eater, as it devours vast quantities of injurious 
weeds, such as Charlock. More destructive than either 
of the Finches above named is the ubiquitous House 
Sparrow (Passer domesticus). In fact, it may be said 
to enjoy the reputation of being the most destructive 
of all Birds to farm and garden produce. Undoubtedly 
it takes insects when nesting, yet the damage it does 
at other times is enormous, as set down by Tegetmeier 
in his monograph. The Buntings are, on the whole, 
harmful, though the familiar Yellow Bunting, or Yellow- 
Hammer (Emberiza citrinella), is one of the least so, as it 
captures in the summer immense numbers of injurious cater- 
pillars to feed its rather numerous family, frequently six. 
Passing over the Larks (Alaudidx) as being seed- 
eaters, and, so far as the farmer is concerned, doing 
more harm than good, we come to the Motacillide. 
This includes several most useful species in the Wag- 
tails, of which the graceful Dishwasher, or Pied Wag- 
tail (M.+lugubris), is the best known. This Bird may 
frequently be seen working lawns and grass land for 
insects, on which it entirely subsists. The Yellow 
Wagtail (M. campestris) is a field species, and as 
industrious: an insect forager as its Pied relative. 
In the Certhiide, or Creepers, there is at least one 
species which ventures near the haunts of men. This 
is the Tree Creeper (Certhia familiaris), an active 
little Bird whose method of progression reminds one of 
the Woodpeckers. It lives upon insects found upon tree- 
trunks and branches. 
The Tits, again (Paridz), furnish omnivorous species 
which are amongst the best known of native Birds. Alike 
in town and country, the Great Tit (Parus major) and 
the Blue Tit (P. cxruleus) haunt our very houses ; 
while even the scarcer Coal-Tit (P. britannicus) will 
sometimes venture into suburban gardens and orchards. 
The Marsh Tit (P. Dresseri) is another garden-frequenting 
species, despite its popular name. In spring those Tits 
which visit gardens play havoe with the frnit-buds, 
and particularly those of Gooseberries and Currants. 
Possibly it may be that the damage done is in the search 
for insects, of which latter they eat a large number. 
Later, ripe Pears are often spoiled by the Blue Tit. 
Occasionally Tits will attack vegetable crops like Peas, when 
the damage is usually ascribed to other species. The 
method of attack in such cases should becarefully noted. 
One species in the Laniide, or Shrikes, calls for 
mention. This is the Red-Backed Shrike, or Butcher 
Bird (Lanius collurio), a summer visitor, and by no means 
plentiful. Its method of catching its prey and impaling 
it upon thorns, is well known to Bird-lovers. Beetles 
and Wasps are favourite foods, and the Bird must be 
regarded as highly beneficial to gardeners and fatmers. 
Amongst the Warblers (Sylviide) the most familiar 
are the Whitethroat (Sylvia sylvia) (Fig. 172) and the Lesser 
Whitethroat (S. curruca). Both are practically insectiv- 
orous, consuming vast quantities of Aphides and small 
caterpillars, but at times they will attack small fruits 
as well as Peas in the pod. Useful, too, is the Willow 
Warbler (Phylloscopus trochilus), which arrives in late 
spring, and may be found in gardens industriously 
searching the foliage of fruit and other trees for insect- 
