134 BOAKD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



bounds. Several genera have been known, where numerous, 

 to destroy grass, weeds, grain or fruit. Some of them, 

 notably of the genus Harjyalus, are becoming widely known 

 as destroyers of the fruit of the strawberry. ]\Iembcrs of 

 this genus were found eating the seeds of the Japanese barn- 

 yard millet along the borders of the garden. The robin 

 constitutes a natural cheek on the increase of these creatures, 

 which, if held in their place, are no doubt beneficial, but, if 

 allowed to become too numerous to subsist on their natural 

 food supply, will destroy cultivated crops. 



The skunk has the reputation of being the most efficient 

 eneni}' of the white grub ; but here, where both skunks and 

 robins were searching for food, the robin's work was the 

 most effective. The onion and carrot beds were regular 

 breeding grounds of these grubs. The hand cultivator was 

 run frequently between the rows, and robins ran after it. 

 In fact, the robins cultivated those rows more assiduously 

 than did the cultivator. They picked up the insects that 

 were turned up by the cultivator, they dug conical holes 

 around the plants, almost always unearthing a grub at the 

 bottom of each hole. This work they persistently followed 

 up, day after day and week after week. So persistent were 

 they that very few of the roots were found injured at harvest 

 time by either grubs or wire worms. Probably some credit 

 for this result must be given to the moles, that occasionally 

 burrowed beneath the plants along whole rows, and un- 

 doubtedly secured some of these grubs which the robins 

 failed to reach. Throughout the season the robins were 

 watched as they fed their young, and it was seen that they 

 habituall}' fed grubs, cut worms and many of the most in- 

 jurious caterpillars. The larvw of large insects seemed 

 rather to be preferred, and the robins, when going to the 

 nest, often took several insects at each trip. 



One day while spading a small plot in the garden I 

 watched a robin that came to feed. She came and picked 

 up a large white grub that had been turned up by the 

 spade, laid it out upon the unspaded ground, dug out 

 another, laid it beside the first, and after hopping some dis- 

 tance secured still another large one, which she took to the 



