184 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



the funny little fellow strutting about in the company 

 of several tiny females. The Blue Wren is strictly 

 insectivorous; and, although so small, destroys vast 

 numbers of insects. 



In Mr. R. Hall's work on the ^Insectivorous Birds 

 of Victoria J ' showing the valuable nature of this bird 

 as an insect-destroyer he quotes from some experiments 

 made by a friend of his, Mr. Geo. Graham. Mr. Hall 

 says: "The persistent work of my correspondent- 

 Mr. George Graham as a skilled keeper of Wrens in 

 captivity, in the providing of food, proves that a pair are 

 capable of eating eighty larvae of one of the so-called 

 Cockchafer Beetles daily for months in succession. As 

 to the food supplied quantity, preference, etc. it was 

 noted that, from July to the 1st of January, grubs with 

 a little finely-chopped meat, bread crumbs, small beetles, 

 and caterpillars, formed the bulk of the food. It 

 generally managed to dispose of sixty grubs, about a 

 dozen small insects, and a small proportion of bread and 

 meat sufficient to equal the bulk of 100 grubs as 

 named above per day. From the 1st of January to 

 the 1st of April grasshoppers formed the staple, varied 

 with March flies and cockroaches. The quantity 

 devoured amounts to about the same as the grubs, 

 namely, 100 per day; and the immature form of the 

 great green grasshopper is preferred to all other kinds 

 of food given to it. Moths, March flies, and small 

 winged insects, are greedily devoured ; in fact, it can 

 stow away four large * blow- flies ' on a fairly full 

 stomach." 



There are, happily, but few people who would kill 

 one of these useful and pretty warblers, which, to 

 prevent their entire destruction, should be protected 

 against all comers, no matter who or what they are. 



These birds are found also in New South Wales and 

 Queensland. 



For more lengthy particulars, consult the works of 

 Messrs. A. J. Campbell, North, R. Hall, and others. 



