UNDER THE APPLE-TREES 



thrashers, besides other birds. In one ploughed field 

 I saw, day after day, ten or fifteen killdee plovers. 

 Their wild cries, their silver sides glancing in the 

 sun, and their long powerful wings were always a 

 welcome sight and sound. 



Probably more kinds of birds feed on insects than 

 upon seeds and fruits, though the seed- and fruit- 

 eaters are the more numerous, and abide with us 

 more months in the year. It is true also that the 

 seed-eaters nearly all eat insects at times, and start 

 their young in life upon insect food. One can easily 

 see, then, what an inevitable part the birds play in 

 keeping down the insect pests that might otherwise 

 overwhelm us. 



