No. 4.] NATURE'S FORESTERS. 287 



moth, destroy branches. In 1896, oak primers {Elaphidion 

 villosura) were numerous in eastern Massachusetts. They 

 attacked several species of oaks, also hickories and maples. 

 They also attacked the apple tree. Their occurrence in 

 numbers seems to be periodical, and thus the trees are sub- 

 ject to a more or less regular periodical pruning. Large 

 quantities of twigs and small branches fell from the oaks and 

 other trees in 1896, and it appeared as if the oak pruners 

 might do considerable injury to these trees. But the trees 

 are certainly not injured, and very likely in most cases they 

 have been benefited by this removal of the twigs from the 

 top branches. Since 1896 the oak pruners have been so 

 well held in check by their natural enemies that they have 

 not been conspicuous. When branches are injured by in- 

 sects or over shading to such an extent that they die, they 

 are removed (when weakened by decay) by the action of 

 the wind, or are broken down by the collection of ice and 

 snow upon them. 



The Guardians of the Forest. 



If the insects and other creatures which feed upon the 

 trees and their products were allowed by nature to increase 

 unchecked, they would soon destroy all the forests from the 

 face of the earth. Although when in normal numbers they 

 may be a benefit to the trees, it is still true that, when ab- 

 normally numerous insects constitute a most serious danger 

 to forests ; therefore the creatures which feed upon insects 

 and so hold them in check should be protected, as the 

 guardians of the forest. 



In the first warm days of early spring, when nature is 

 roused from her winter sleep and the crude sap is coursing 

 sluggishly through the branches, moving toward the un- 

 opened buds, slow-crawling reptiles and batrachians awaken 

 from their winter sleep. From every pool and swamp in 

 the forest is heard the croaking of the frogs. The little 

 Hyla pipes its high treble, the flat baritone of the wood 

 frogs swells the chorus, and from the margins of dark pools 

 here and there the deep boom of an early bull-frog accent- 

 uates the chorus like a bass drum in an orchestra. As the 

 buds burst and the little leaves begin to appear, the tree 



