8o Birds of Oregon and Washington 



and a joy to the ear with his wealth of warbling 

 song, to the fruit-grower he comes as an enemy 

 of fruit buds. There is good reason to suppose, 

 however, that the damage done by this bird is 

 over-estimated ; while it is possible that what 

 seems to be harmful may be beneficial. Experi- 

 ment has shown that finer and larger measure, or 

 more weight of fruit, is obtained where a part 

 (sometimes one-half) of the fruit set upon a tree 

 has been removed. Mr. A. W. Anthony one 

 of the great authorities upon the birds of the Pa- 

 cific coast has given attention to this subject, 

 has seen a partial experiment tried, and is of the 

 latter opinion. One year the Purple Finches 

 were allowed to have their own way in a cherry 

 orchard, with the result that the cherry trees 

 were overloaded at harvest time. But even if it 

 is true that some damage is done by this bird and 

 others, the farmer and fruit-grower must beware, 

 for he may save a few cherries at the cost of 

 immeasurably greater damage from insects and 

 noxious weeds. 



This Finch is with us in numbers by the last 

 of March, and will soon after be heard pouring 

 forth his beautiful song from the top of the 



