DANGER OF INTRODUCING NOXIOUS ANIMALS AND BIRDS. 105 



extending down the center of its breast (see fig. 5). Lilce other 

 species of the genus, it is mainly insectivorous, but in winter is said 

 to eat nuts and hard seeds. The kohlmeise has recently attracted 

 attention on account of its alleged value as a destroyer of the codling 

 moth {Carpocajpaa pomoneHa), particularly in Germany, where it is 

 reported to protect apple trees in large measui-e from the attacks of 

 this destructive insect. But although several German autliors regard 

 it as a most useful species, there seems to be no satisfactory evidence 

 that it is pai'tial to the codling moth, or in fact that it ever feeds on 

 the moth to any great extent. In Great Britain where the kohlmeise 

 is also a resident and generally distributed, its presence has not been 

 sufficient to exterminate the codling moth or even to hold this pest in 

 check. On the other hand, it is said to attack small and weakly birds, 

 splitting open their skulls with its beak to get at the brains, and doing 

 more or less damage to fruit, particularly pears. One English observer 

 reported that all the pears in his garden had to be inclosed in muslin 

 bags to protect them from the birds, which would otherwise eat a con- 

 siderable part of the fruit before it was ripe. Another reported that the 

 great titmouse spoiled most of a limited crop of apples, and then began 

 on the pears, boring a small hole near the stem, and passing from one 

 pear to another until every one of forty or fifty trees had been dam- 

 aged. It also attacked figs, scooping them out before they were ripe. 

 In the autumn of 1897 an article appeared in a paper in Idaho set- 

 ting forth the great value of the bird to the fruit grower, and stronglv 

 advocating its importation into this country. The article attracted 

 the attention of horticulturists throughout the Northwest, and gave 

 rise to considerable discussion concerning the merits of the bird and 

 the desirability of its introduction. While the kohlmeise might not 

 develop its fruit-eating propensities in America, it should not be 

 introduced until more definite information is available concerning its 

 habits and until it has been shown beyond question that it will do no 

 serious harm. Moreover, since there are already several titmice of 

 the same genus in the United States, it seems entirely unnecessary 

 to add another to the list, for it is hardly probable that the European 

 bird would confine itself to the codling moth or.be of more value to 

 the horticulturist than the native species. It may be added that recent 

 investigations seem to show that the common eastern chickadee feeds 

 to some extent on the codling moth, as a few larvae, believed to be 

 those of this insect, have been found in chickadee stomachs col- 

 lected in New Hampshire during February and March.' It maybe 

 of interest also to recall the fact tliat the kohlmeise was actually 

 introduced in 1874 at Cincinnati, Ohio, but the experiment failed, as 

 neither this nor any of the other exotic species imported at the same 

 time became naturalized. 



'Weed, Bui. 54, N. H. Coll. Agr. Expt. Station, 1898, pp. 87, 94. 

 12 a98 8* 



