THE HUDSON’S BAY TITMOUSE. 185 
In the summer time, the Chick-a-dee’s labors are more 
easily noticed; and as he raises a large brood of young, the 
female laying six or eight eggs at a litter, he is very busy 
through the whole day in capturing vast quantities of cater- 
pillars, flies, and grubs. It has been calculated that a single 
pair of these birds destroy, on the average, not less than five 
hundred of these pests daily; a labor which could hardly be 
surpassed by a man, even if he gave his whole time to the 
task. 
“‘ Moreover, the man could not be as successful at so 
small a cost; for, setting aside the value of his time and 
the amount of a laborer’s daily wages, he could not reach the 
denser and loftier twigs on which the caterpillars revel, and 
which the Titmouse can traverse with perfect ease. No 
man can investigate a tree, and clear it of the insect hosts 
that constantly beleaguer it, without doing some damage to 
the buds and young leaves by his rough handling ; whereas 
the Chick-a-dee trips along the branches, peeps under every 
leaf, swings himself round upon his perch, spies out 
every insect, and secures it with a peck so rapid that it is 
hardly perceptible.” 
In some observations made on the habits of this and 
some other birds in Paris, it was found that the Titmouse 
destroys, at the lowest computation, over two hundred 
thousand eggs alone of noxious insects in the course of a 
year. That one small bird is thus able to accomplish so 
much good in destroying these myriads of vermin is an 
appeal to the good sense of the farmer, for the protection of 
the whole class, that should not be slighted. 
PARUS HUDSONICUS. — Forster. 
The Hudson’s Bay Titmouse. 
Parus Hudsonicus, Forster. Philos. Trans., LXII. (1772) 383, 430. Aud. Orn. 
Biog., IL, (1834) 543. Jb., Birds Amer., II. (1841) 155. 
DESCRIPTION. 
Above yellowish olivaceous-brown; top of head purer brown, not very different 
in tint; chin and throat dark sooty-brown; sides of head white; beneath white; 
