SECRETARY'S REPORT. . 113 



spies out every insect, and secures it with a peck so rapid that 

 it is hardly perceptible." 



In some observations made on the habits of this and some 

 other birds in Paris, it was found that the chickadee destroys, at 

 the lowest computation, over 200,000 eggs alone of noxious 

 insects in the course of a year. That one small bird is thus able 

 to accomplish so much good in destroying these myriads of 

 vermin, is an appeal to the good sense of the farmer for the 

 protection of the ivhole class that should not be slighted. 



Passing by the larks and finches and sparrows, which, although 

 principally seed-feeders, nevertheless destroy great numbers of 

 insects, wc come to the Orioles, Blackbirds and Grackles. I 

 have already noticed the former of these, and will give a 

 moment to the blackbirds. These birds, like the thrushes, have 

 caused much discussion, and many persons are prejudiced 

 against them ; but they are really beneficial. 



The number of grasshoppers and crickets these birds destroy 

 is astonishing ; but these by no means constitute the whole of 

 their food, for they pursue those subterranean caterpillars, the 

 cut-worm, and grubs of other noxious insects, like the dor-bug 

 or May beetle, with relentless vigor. I have had the curiosity, 

 many times, to watch the common swamp or red-wing blackbird 

 in his operations against these vermin. This is easily done with 

 a glass, or by secreting one's self in thick foliage of bushes. 



These grubs, working beneath the surface of the soil, give 

 evidence of their presence by the wilted vegetation of the plants 

 whose roots they have devoured. The least sound causes them 

 to remain perfectly still in the earth, and as the burrows which 

 they have made are sometimes many inches in length, it is not 

 easy to ascertain their exact whereabouts. The blackbird, on 

 perceiving one of these withered patches, quickly alights on its 

 edge, and walks very quietly to each of the little tufts of grass 

 that are cut off. If the grub is there, he is only covered to the, 

 depth of perhaps a half inch. This the bird quickly removes 

 with his beak, when, if the worm is discovered, it is quickly 

 seized, shaken to pieces and swallowed. If the grub is not 

 found at once the blackbird continues his researches until 

 successful. 



The number lie thus destroys I have known often to exceed 

 thirty in the space of fifteen minutes. The amount neccssaiy 

 15* 



