No. 4.] BIRDS ON THE FARM. 133 



there were more than thirty robins' nests in trees in the 

 woods or fields near the house. Tliere were three in a large 

 pine in front of the house, and three more over the door of 

 a summer cottage near by. Although most of the eggs or 

 young in the nests Avere destroyed by the various enemies 

 of birds, there were usually from three to six young robins 

 about the garden most of the summer, and in May, June 

 and July there were many adult birds. No sooner w^ould 

 any one go into the garden with plow, harrow, cultivator, 

 hoe, fork or spade, to stir the earth for any purpose, than 

 the robins would follow, picking up grubs, wire worms, 

 earth worms, cut worms and ground beetles. There were 

 few insects they would not eat. They soon became so tame 

 that they would approach within a few feet of the worker, 

 and if grubs or worms were tossed to them they would 

 come and pick them up from the ground. 



The white grubs, as most of }'ou know, are the larvae of 

 May beetles (^Lachnosferna) of diflerent species, and destroy 

 the roots of growing plants. They are serious pests in 

 grass land or among hoed crops. Where numerous they 

 will soon ruin a stra^vbeny bed or a grass field, and because 

 of their habits of burrowing in the ground they are hard to 

 control. The wire worms, which are the larvte of snapping 

 beetles (Elafends), also live under ground, and destroy the 

 roots of plants, in some cases burrowing into the stems. 

 They are destructive to turnips and other root crops, as 

 well as to cabbage, celery and many vegetables, and must 

 greatly reduce the productiveness of grass lands. 



The cut worms are larvae of JSFoctuid moths, and probably 

 do as much injury both annually and periodically as any 

 other pest we have. They not only eat the foliage of 

 many plants, but they cut off the stems of young vegetables 

 close to the ground, destroying the crop. As they feed 

 mainly at night and hide under ground or under some 

 shelter during the day, they are seldom noticed until the 

 damage is done. Ground beetles (^Carahidce) are usually 

 classed as useful insects ; but, as many of the species feed 

 quite largely on vegetable matter, their usefulness no doubt 

 depends to some extent on their being kept within proper 



