BENEFICIAL INSECTS— BIRDS USEFUL TO FARM AND ORCHARD 623 



menoptera. Introduced from Europe, 

 where it is a very effective check upon 

 the codling moth (Carpcapsa pomonella), 

 the apple worm. 



Ichneumon species are the most difficult 

 to establish of all our beneficial species, 

 often requiring several years to become 

 numerous enough to be of great benefit. 



A large stock of this particular species 

 is reared each year and distributed 

 throughout the apple and pear growing 

 sections of the state. 



This is one of the most interesting 

 species propagated at the Insectary and 

 we hope to eventually establish it in all 

 sections of the state. Marked results are 

 expected from its introduction as soon as 

 it can adjust itself to our unnatural con- 

 ditions that at present prevail in our 

 commercial orchards. 



Edward K. Ca^bnes 



December 20, 1912. 



Note — The etchings and descriptions in fine 

 print of insects in this article are from the 

 Monthly Bulletin of the California Commis 

 sion of Horticulture, Vol. II, Nos. 1 and 'J. 

 The photos are by the author, except Pig. 

 19, which is from the above source — Editor. 



Birds Useful To Farm and 

 Orchzu-d 



Entomologists estimate that insects 

 "yearly cause a loss of over $700,000,000 

 to the agriculture of the United States. 

 Were it not for our birds, the loss would 

 be very much greater, and it is doubtful 

 if agriculture would be possible. A 

 knowledge of the birds that protect the 

 crops, is therefore as important as a 

 knowledge of the pests that destroy them. 

 Such knowledge is the more important, 

 because some birds are injurious, some 

 are partly useful and partly injurious, 

 and others, a few, are always useful. 

 For instance, there are insects that are 

 parasitic and predatory, feeding upon 

 other insects that injure the crops, but 

 insectiverous birds destroy the useful and 

 harmful alike. However, the good they 

 do by the destruction of harmful insects, 

 is far greater than the harm they do by 

 the destruction of useful kinds. Even 

 the birds called noxious, possess some re- 

 deeming qualities and traits. Thus the 

 crow is mischievous in spring, pulling up 



the newly planted corn, and destroying 

 the eggs of useful birds. But on the 

 other hand, he eats insects, grubs, cut 

 worms, meadow mice, gophers and other 

 rodents, so that he is more useful than 

 harmful. 



Because their powers of flight enable 

 them to gather rapidly at points where 

 there are abnormal outbreaks of insects, 

 birds are especially useful in protecting 

 certain localities from scourges of grass- 

 hoppers and other pests; for an unusual 

 number of insects in any particular lo- 

 cality attracts the birds, and they never 

 leave until the insects are under control. 



America is greatly favored in the num- 

 ber and character of its birds, which not 

 only include some of the gems of the bird 

 world, as warblers and humming birds, 

 but on the whole embrace few destruct- 

 ive species. Not only do many birds sat- 

 isfy our esthetic sense through their 

 beautiful plumage and their sweet voices, 

 but they are marvelously adapted to their 

 respective fields of activity. No other 

 creatures are so well fitted to capture 

 flying insects as swallows, swifts and 

 nighthawks. Among the avian ranks also 

 are wrens, trim of body and agile of 

 movement, that creep in and out of holes 

 and crevices and explore rubbish heaps 

 for hidden insects. The woodpecker, whose 

 whole body exhibits wonderful adaptation 

 of means to an end, is provided with 

 strong claws for holding firmly when at 

 work, a chisel-like bill driven by power- 

 ful muscles to dig out insects, and a long 

 extensible tongue to still further explore 

 the hidden retreats of insects and drag 

 forth the concealed larvae, safe from 

 other foes. The creepers, titmice, warb- 

 lers, flycatchers, quails, doves, and other 

 families have each their own special field 

 of activity. However unlike they may be 

 in appearance, structure, and habits, all 

 are similar in one respect — they possess 

 a never flagging appetite for insects and 

 weed seeds. 



One of the most useful groups of native 

 birds is the sparrow family. While some 

 of the tribe wear gay suits of many hues, 

 most of the sparrows are clad in modest 

 brown tints, and as they spend much of 



