BIRDS OF KANSAS 



47 



of caterpillars, 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 Avhich could 

 hardly be surpassed by a man, even if he gave his whole 

 time to the task. 



" ^ Moreover, the man could not be 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 Chickadee 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." 



Their nests are placed near the ground, in holes made 

 by themselves in decaying trees and stumps. They are 

 composed of bits of moss, interwoven with fur and fine 

 hair, and occasionally a few do^vny feathers. Eggs four 

 to eight, .60x.47; white, speckled with reddish brown 

 and lilac stains, generally the thickest around the larger 

 end; in form, oval. 



