18 THE MAGAZINE OF HORTICULTURE. 



son, they will, during all this time, consume nearly as many 

 insects as are consumed by the insectivorous birds. 



Among the most prominent benefactors to the gardener, I 

 must not omit to notice the American sparrows, of which 

 there are three common species. These are among the most 

 familiar of our birds. They begin to build their nests in the 

 latter part of April , and many of them tarry with us through 

 the winter. They raise as many as three broods in a season, 

 and are obliged, therefore, to labor incessantly in search of 

 insects. The observation was made of the English sparrovv, 

 that a single pair of these birds, during the time they are 

 feeding their young, will destroy about four thousand cater- 

 pillars weekly. But the sparrows are also very serviceable 

 to the garden by consuming great quantities of the seeds of 

 noxious weeds, and thereby greatly diminishing their growth 

 and abundance. 



The tomtits, of which the chickadee is a species, are often 

 accused of injuring the young and tender buds, when they ap- 

 pear in the spring. When attentively observed, they may be 

 seen running up and down, and winding round the branches, 

 while employed in picking up the eggs of insects, and the 

 small maggots or worms that are concealed in the blossoms, 

 and which would eventually destroy the fruit. It may be 

 observed that those apple trees which grow in the vicinity of 

 the woods where the chickadees and creepers are numerous, 

 bear fruit that is less affected by worms than the fruit of our 

 gardens. The chickadee remains with us during all the year, 

 for notwithstanding his very small size, he is capable of en- 

 during our severest winters, when he may be found in the 

 most northerly parts of the continent. He is the most socia- 

 ble of all our winter birds, and his absence would be most 

 sadly lamented at this season, were the species to become ex- 

 tinct. They are most frequently seen in winter, as they leave 

 the woods at this time to forage the gardens and orchards. 

 Here all day long may be heard their lively and peculiar 

 notes, while they are diligently examining every branch and 

 twig in quest of their insect prey. 



