24 The Food of Some British Wild Birds. 



Post-mortem Records. 



Field Observations. 



In June, 1909, I watched a pair of these birds feeding in an 

 apple orchard badly infested with the larvae of the Winter Moth 

 (Cheimatobia brumata, Linn.). During an hour-and-a-half forty- 

 seven visits were made to the trees and two or three caterpillars 

 were taken each time. In another case I had an opportunity of 

 watching a pair feeding in an apple tree covered with Mussel Scale 

 and Woolly Aphis. For upwards of forty minutes the two birds 

 were devouring these pests, only leaving the tree twice in an hour. 

 There is no doubt but that they are one of the most valuable birds 

 we have for controlling outbreaks of such moths as the Winter, 

 Mottled Umber and March Moths. 



Food of Nestlings. 



I have not had any opportunity of examining nestlings, but 

 Newstead (92) records that in a small rose nursery, near Chester, 

 he watched a pair with a brood of eight young, and that 90 per 

 cent, of the food brought in consisted of the larvae of Geometrid 

 moths. 



