ROSE-BREASTED GROSBEAK. 
35 
“Tur Porato Buc Birp.—Coralvlle, Jowa.—When the Colorado 
beetle created such sad havoc among the potato vines here in the West, 
the potatoes were uninjured in this vicinity for several seasons, owing 
to the kind offices of some beautiful birds, familiarly termed as above. 
Though they had previously visited and “bugged” the potatoes on 
some farms located in the timber five miles distant, for four or five suc- 
cessive seasons, it was not until the summer of 1877 that they turned 
their attention to this place. In the summer referred to, the bugs ap- 
peared as usual in great numbers and began working on the vines, and 
would, if unmolested, have destroyed them in a little while. One 
morning my attention was drawn to some strange, handsome birds that 
were sitting on the garden fence, surveying our potato grounds. | 
watched them closely for some time. | There appeared to be but a sin- 
gle family of them ; the two parent birds, and some half a dozen young 
ones. The latter were arranged in a row on the topmost board, await- 
ing their turns to be fed ; and it kept the old ones very busy to attend 
to them. They would flit down in among the vines and seize an un- 
lucky bug, and carry it to a little open mouth, again, and again, till I 
wearied of watching them. I knew at once that this must be the po- 
tato bug bird, of which I had so often heard. This was repeated day 
after day, till our garden was cleared of the bugs. | They then helped 
themselves to a few—a very few—peas (for dessert, I suppose), and 
then commenced work on the potatoes in an adjoining field. — In size 
and shape this bird resembles the orchard oriole ; is black and white in 
color, with a handsome red spot on its breast—reminding one of the 
prevailing hue of the potato beetle—and black and white bands across 
the wings.” : W, 
