No. 4.] REPORT OF STATE ORNITHOLOGIST. 263 



in connection with the book/ gives an excellent idea of some 

 of the successful methods used by the famous ornithologist, 

 Baron von Berlepsch. 



Birds and Insect Pests. 

 Mr. E. A. Frye, v^^riting from San Jose, Cal., March 17, 

 1913, says that on a visit to the place where he was bom, in 

 southern Xew England, and where he lived for twenty-five 

 years, he was so much impressed by the comparative absence 

 of robins and other birds that he wrote on his return to 

 California to the secretary of the National Association of 

 Audubon Societies to inquire whether this was a recognized 

 condition, and if so what reason was to be assigned for it. 



A scarcity of robins and other birds in New England was 

 noticed particularly in the summer of 1912, and it was pre- 

 dicted then that an increase of insect pests would occur the 

 following year. In 1913 forest tent caterpillars appeared in 

 very unusual numbers in many localities. The tent cater- 

 pillar was tremendously prevalent over the greater part of 

 Massachusetts, and the loss to the apple crop of the State, 

 where farmers neglected to care for their trees undoubtedly 

 amounted to several hundred thousand dollars. Reports of 

 an increase of insect pests came from the south also. The 

 cotton boll weevil was working east into Georgia, and the 

 wireworms were spreading terrible havoc through South 

 Carolina. Boll worms were more destructive than at any 

 time in the memory of the oldest inhabitant, and the late 

 com crop was riddled. The south has been sorely stricken 

 not only by insect pests but by various fungous diseases con- 

 veyed from place to place largely by insects. The pine bark 

 beetle, which ruined a large part of the pines in Virginia 

 and West Virginia in 1894, has been moving down the 

 Appalachians until Georgia and South Carolina pines are 

 dying by thousands. The onward march of the beetle has 

 been checked in some places by the yellow-bellied sapsucker, 

 which is generally regarded as a destructive bird. 



' Martin Hiesemann, " How to attract and protect Wild Birds." English edition, trans- 

 lated by Emma S.Buchheim, 1912. 



