METHODS OF BIRD STUDY 51 



bird for our district, and one which is becoming rarer year by year. The 

 reason is largely that specimens are desired for collections. Hence rec- 

 ords commonly read : " Remarkable instance of a pair of mocking birds 

 nesting in central Massachusetts. On June 8 both parents with nest and 

 clutch of six eggs were collected and are now in . . ." etc. The mocking 

 bird is often described as the most remarkable bird musician in the 

 world, and we could certainly not do less than encourage it to breed as 

 far north as possible. 



Catbird Dumetella carolinensis. 



Brown thrasher Toxostoma rufum. Both of these birds are valuable 

 to control insects of garden and orchard, and, besides, are among our best 

 musicians. 



House wren Troglodytes aidon. Every garden should be well stocked 

 with this tireless insect destroyer. 



Marsh wren, short-billed Cistothdrus stelldris. Compare with house 

 wren for habitat, foods, nests. 



Family Certhiidce. creepers. Brown creeper Cerlhia familidris ameri- 

 cdna. One of our winter birds that should be generally known and pro- 

 tected. 



Family Parities. nuthatches and titmice. White-breasted nuthatch 

 Sitta carolinensis. 



Chickadee Penthe'stes atricapillus. All are agreed that the chickadee 

 is one of the most useful birds in freeing orchards of all sorts of insect 

 pests, from cankerworms to aphides. 



Family Sylviidcz kinglets, gnat catchers, etc. The ruby-crowned king- 

 let Regulus sdtrapa. 



Family Turdidce. thrushes, bluebirds, etc. The thrushes are typical 

 * soft-billed " birds, their food being largely insects, worms, spiders, etc. 

 They also feed upon fruits in season, and this has complicated the prob- 

 lem of their economic value up to within recent years. A closer analy- 

 sis of their foods has demonstrated that the birds prefer native wild 

 fruits to cultivated ; hence this problem may be solved humanely and 

 scientifically by planting a succession of these. ^Esthetically the thrushes 

 are among our most highly valued songsters, and structurally they rank 

 as the highest family of birds. 



Wood thrush Hylocichla mustelina. 

 Wilson's thrush Hylocichla fusce'scens. 

 Hermit thrush Hylocichla guttata pdllasi. 

 American robin Planesticus migratorius. 

 Bluebird SidLia sialis. 



