50 



CI\'IC BIOLOGY 



Family Ampelidce (ampelus, "a vine") — waxwings. The cedar wax- 

 wing, BombyciUa cedrorum, known also as the cherry bird, is noted for 



destruction of cankerworms 

 in onr orchards. 



Family Laniid<s. (lanius, 

 " butcher ") — shrikes. 'J'he 

 loggerhead shrike, Lanius In- 

 dovicidnus, frequents hedge- 

 rows and borders of fields, 

 where it feeds upon insects, 

 field mice, and small birds. 

 In cities it is said to be of 

 some use in destroying Eng- 

 lish sparrows. Study the prob- 

 lem in your own locality. The 

 number of our most valuable 

 small birds — chickadees and 

 wrens — which the shrike 

 kills places it decidedly on 

 the questional)le list. 



Family VireonidcE (vireo, 

 " a greenfinch ") — the vireos 

 or greenlets. These birds of 

 the terminal foliage and pen- 

 sile nests are among the best 

 of our orchard and roadside insect police. We may certainly make the 

 acquaintance of at least three of the seven common species. 



Red-eyed vireo — Vireosylva olicdcea. 

 Warbling vireo — Vireosylva gilva. 

 Yellow-throated vireo — Laniinreo fldcifrons. 



Family Mniotiltida (mnion, "moss"; tiltos, "pulled out") — warblers. 

 To make the first acquaintance with this interesting and difficult family 

 we may begin with four of the common resident s^jecies. 



Black-and-white warbler — Mniotilta vdria. 

 Y^'ellow warbler — Dendroica cestwa. 

 Ovenbird — Scurus aurocapillus. 

 American redstart — Setopliaga ruticilla. 



Family Troglodytidcs (troglodytes, "cave dweller") — thrashers, wrens, 

 etc. Mocking bird — Mimus polyglottos. This offers the problem of a rare 



Fig. 24. Remains of chickadee killed by 

 a shrike 



Photograph by the author 



