150 LIFE ON THE FARM. 



The robin is also a comparatively tame bird, feed- 

 ing near dwellings as well as in open fields. 



Bluebirds (see p. 144) are also very useful in kill- 

 ing caterpillars, grasshoppers, and many other 

 injurious insects. During the grasshopper season 

 the bluebird's food consists largely of this insect. 



The bobolink (see p. 1 37) is a bird which deserves 

 both praise and blame. In the northern part of 

 the United States it lives almost entirely upon 

 insects and weed seed; but, in the South, we are 

 sorry to say, it does so much damage to rice fields 

 that it is hunted and killed on every hand. 



In concluding this short and incomplete discus- 

 sion of useful birds, a few random notes from a late 

 popular book on the subject will be given: 



"The goldfinch eats seeds of the thistle." 



"The phoebe bird catches gnats and flies." 



"Grouse catch spiders and beetles." 



"English sparrows eat bark-insects from trees." 



"Owls eat more mice and insects than birds." 



"The woodpecker gets grubs and beetles from 

 the trunks and branches of trees." 



"The kingbird catches flies and beetles on the 

 wing." 



"Mr. Samuels says, 'Thrushes rid the soil of 

 noxious insects not preyed upon by other birds.' ' 



"Some hawks eat insects." 



