BIRDS FEEDING ON THE MOTH. 231 



eggs. One hundred and ninety-one egg-clusters were put 

 upon a tree to which from ten to thirty chickadees canie 

 daily. Only seventeen of these clusters were pecked open. 

 In each case the bird was seen in the act. The eggs were 

 pecked off or taken in the beak and dropped to the ground. 

 A few blows would generally suffice to knock off most of 

 the eggs. Ten birds which were pecking at the eggs were 

 shot, but in no case were either the eggs or any portions of 

 them found in the stomach or intestines. 



The observations showed that the egg-clusters were some 

 times pecked off by nuthatches, either in a search for hiber- 

 nating larvae or pupae hidden beneath the clusters, or to 

 secure the larvae of predaceous insects which bore into the 

 egg-clusters and feed upon the eggs. No bird has actually 

 been proved to feed upon the eggs except the English spar- 

 row. One of these birds which was kept in confinement ate 

 a few of these eggs from time to time when deprived of 

 other food, but did not appear to relish them. It appears 

 that very little can be expected from our native birds in this 

 respect, unless they acquire a taste for the eggs. Yet many 

 egg-clusters have been found which appear to have been 

 pecked open or eaten by birds. The cause of this appear- 

 ance was sought, and it was seen that squirrels and wood- 

 peckers when climbing about on the trunks and branches 

 of trees frequently tore off the eggs in running or climbing 

 over them, so that they presented much the same appearance 

 as those actually pecked into by birds. The gray and red 

 squirrels were seen in the act, as well as several species of 

 birds. Chickadees have frequently been seen by men em- 

 ployed in the woods to peck these egg-clusters, and several 

 observations seemed to indicate that birds were feeding on 

 them. The woodpeckers occasionally knocked them off the 

 trees. Considering the prying, thieving nature of the jays, 

 it is quite probable that they may peck into the egg-clusters 

 and eat the eggs. Though the eggs are so tough that the 

 smaller titmice might have difficulty in breaking their shells, 

 the more powerful beak of the jay would easily accomplish 

 this. 



In Europe, woodpeckers, creepers and titmice are said to 

 perform great service by eating the eggs of the gypsy moth. 



