250 FOOD OF SMALL BIRDS. 



That some guess may be formed of the possible extent 

 of good or evil occasioned by small birds, we annex the 

 result of our own observations on the precise quantity of 

 food consumed by certain birds, either for their own 

 support, or that of their young ; remarking, at the same 

 time, that the difference observed in the instances may be 

 partly accounted for by the different quantity of food re- 

 quired by young birds, at different periods of their growth. 



Sparrows feed their young 36 times in an hour, which, 

 calculating at the rate of 14 hours a day, in the long 

 days of Spring and Summer, gives 3,500 times per week; 

 a number corroborated on the authority of another 

 writer, who calculated the number of caterpillars de- 

 stroyed in a week to be about 3,400. 



Redstarts were observed to feed their young with little 

 green grubs from gooseberry-trees, 23 times in an hour, 

 which, at the same calculation, amounts to 2,254 times 

 in a week; but more grubs than one were usually im- 

 parted each time. 



Chaffinches, at the rate of about 35 times an hour, for 

 five or six times together,' when they would pause, and 

 not return for intervals of eight or ten minutes : the food 

 was green caterpillars. 



The Titmouse, 16 times in an hour. 



The comparative weight consumed was as follows : 

 A Greenfinch, provided with 80 grains, by weight, of 

 wheat, in 24 hours, consumed 79 ; but of a thick paste, 

 made of flour, egg, &c., it consumed upwards of 100 

 grains. 



A Goldfinch consumed about 90 grains of Canary-seed 

 in 24 hours. 



Sixteen Canaries consumed at the average rate of 100 

 grains each, in 24 hours. 



The consumption of food by these birds, compared 

 with the weights of their bodies, was about one-sixth ; 

 which, supposing a man to consume food in the same 

 proportion to his weight, would amount to about 25 

 pounds for every 24 hours ! 



