28-1 AGRICULTURAL REPORT. 



an imparl ial juJg-meut is givcu, that lie will do away with this absurd preju- 

 dice, and protect, as he always? sshould have done, the cat bird. 



The CerthiailcB (creepers,) and Parida, (titmice,) are both of importance 

 to agriculture, their food consisting principally of the larvai of insects which 

 they find in the bark of the trunk and limbs of trees. The chick-a-dec or 

 black-capped titmouse, so well known throughout the country, represents the 

 Paridce, and its habits in capturing its insect prey are so well known that I 

 will not make further mention of them here. 



Briefly noticing the AlaudidcB, (larks,) which destroy multitudes of injurious 

 insects in the grass and on the surface of the ground, chiefly Orthojdera 

 (locusts, grasshoppers, &c.,) and the FringllUdcn (tinches, sparrows, &c.,) 

 which, alihough subsisting chiefly upon the seeds of vai'ious plants, usually 

 the wild grasses, &:c., " feed their yonug entirely upon the larvaj of insects," we 

 come to the important family Icteridce, in which arc included our blackbirds, 

 orioles, &c. These birds, notwithstanding the dislike with which some of 

 them are regarded by the farmers, are all eminently beneficial ; the orioles, of 

 which our common golden robin or hang bird. Icterus Ballimorc (Daudin,) is a 

 familiar type, destroys great numbers of caterpillars and other larva; equally 

 injurious. These they obtain on the limbs and in the foliage of trees in a 

 manner similar to the cuckoos and warblers. The blackbirds are constantly 

 employed in the destruction of insects and their larvaj in the grass lands and 

 meadows which they capture in a similar manner with the thrushes. The fol- 

 lowing interesting instance given by Buffon, tho great naturalist, will go to 

 show the value of these birds : 



" The Isle of Bourbon, where the grakle Avas unknown, was overrun with locusts, which 

 had been accidentally introduced from Madagascar, the eggs having been imported in tho 

 soil with wliich some jjlants were brought from that island. The governor-general and the 

 intendeut deliberated seriotisly on the means of extirpating these noxious insects, and for 

 this purpose caused several pairs of the Indian grakle to be introduced into the island. 

 This plan promised to succeed ; but, unfortunately, some of the colonists seeing the birds 

 eagerl}- thrust their bills into the earth of the newly-sown fields, imagined they were in quest 

 of giaiu, and reported that the birds, instead of proving beneficial, would be highly detri- 

 mental to the country. On the part of the birds, it was argued that they raked in new- 

 ploughed grounds, not for the sake of the grain, but for the insects, and were therefoi?e 

 beneficial. Tliey were, however, proscribed by the council, and in the space of two hours 

 after the sentence was pronounced against them not a grakle was found on the island. 

 This prompt execution was followed b}' a speedy repentance. The locusts gained the as- 

 cendancy, and the people, who only viewed the present, regretted the loss of the grakles. 

 In a few years aftervrards a few pairs were again introduced Their preservation and breed- 

 ing were made a state affair; the laws held out projection to them, and the physicians, on 

 their part, declared their flesh to be unwholesome. The grakles accordingly multiplied, and 

 the locusts were destroyed." 



The Corvida;, in which family are placed our crows and jays, are also valua- 

 ble assistants to the farmer, notwithstanding the former pull up a few hills of 

 corn, (which may be readily prevented by stretching strings about the fields,) 

 and the jays destroy the eggs and young of small birds. The insects they 

 destroy more than counterbalance the evil effects of these depredations. Tlie 

 field mice that a pair of crows kill and feed to their young are beyond compu- 

 tation, and it is a gratifying fact that the farmers are at last becoming aware 

 of the value of the crows on the farm, and many already extend them their 

 protection. 



RASORES (SCRATCHEU.S.) 



In this order are included the grouse, quails, turkeys, and, by modeun 

 naturalists, the doves. These last birds are placed in this order, however, 

 more from their peculiarities of form, than because of their habit of searchii>g 

 food by scratching beneath the surface of the ground. The distinguishing 

 characteristics of the rasores, are, according to Professor Baird, " hind toe 



