140 



BIRDS IN THEIR RELATIONS TO MAN. 



other weedy plants, the latter forming fully one-half of their 

 food. The army-worm is perhaps the most destructive in- 

 sect which the swamp-sparrow is likely to assist in checking, 

 because the insect develops especially in the marsh lands 

 where the birds live. 



"The DICKCISSEL," writes Dr. Judd, in his admirable mono- 

 graph, 1 "formerly raised its broods over a considerable portion 



THE niCKCISSEL. 

 (After lliological Survey.) 



of the United States east of the Rocky Mountains ; but two 

 or three decades ago it abandoned the Eastern States and now 

 rarely breeds east of the Allegheny Mountains. In autumn 

 it migrates to Central and South America. In some localities 

 it is known as the little meadow-lark, because its coloring is 

 like that of the meadow-lark, even to the black locket on the 



1 The Relation of Sparrows to Agriculture, Bull. No. 15, U. S. Bio- 

 logical Survey. 



