ANIMAL LIFE IN THE WOODS 161 



5. The stout, cone-shaped bill shows that the bird is a seed- 

 eater, but it includes a large number and variety of injurious 

 insects in its diet, and is the only bird that eats the potato 

 beetles in any large number. Cases have been observed 

 where a family of grosbeaks ate every beetle that could be 

 found in a small field. The bird is therefore one of the 

 most useful to farmers, and should be protected everywhere. 

 If the writer's observations are trustworthy, the bird has 

 lately increased very much in this part of Minnesota. In 

 the spring of 1897, dozens of them could be seen on one 

 day. 



6. They cease to sing about the middle of August, and 

 go South about the middle of September. 



11. Our Wee Birds. 



Before taking leave of our feathered friends, we must, at 

 least, spend a few hours in the bushes with the little folks 

 of bird-dom. In the garden shrubbery, in the willow 

 thickets lining the prairie stream, and wherever boughs and 

 bushes sway to the summer zephyrs, you will hear, often also, 

 see them, but only when they make no effort to conceal 

 themselves. You may hear the red-eyed vireo sing in the 

 grove all morning, but as soon as you come near the spot 

 whence the sweet, soft music sounded, the song emanates 

 from another part of the grove. Most of these small birds 

 belong to one of the following four families : Sparrows, 

 Finches, Warblers, Vireos. The first are about the size of 

 the house sparrow, their strong bills are cone-shaped, and 

 grayish and brownish tints are their predominating colors ; 

 they are really seed-eaters, but feed their young on insects. 

 The finches are represented by the pretty black and yellow 

 American goldfinch, which will be described below. The 

 warblers are among the smallest of our birds ; most of them 

 are brightly colored, have a sweet lisping song, but are so 



