168 



this insect is very pernicious, by feeding upon the roots of 

 plants and causing them to perish, and doing great mischief to 

 strawberry plats, vine-borders, and other places where the 

 ground is not disturbed in spring and autumn. An English 

 writer states that the ranunculus beds in his garden were de- 

 stroyed by the larva of one of this genus, for several years in 

 succession. 



These facts lead to the conclusion that the Eobin fairly earns 

 Lis feast of fruits, by ridding the garden and orchard of one of 

 tbeir most destructive pests. The large quantities of this 

 Bibio larva which he consumes during the early spring months, 

 explains in part a certain habit observed in the ways of Kobins, 

 of scattering tliemselves singly over the fields and other 

 grounds. The larvae of the Bibio are gregarious, living to- 

 gether in swams, perforating the * ground, and making it re- 

 semble a honey-comb. The parent fly deposits her w^hole 

 stock of eggs in one spot, and the Kobin, finding this treasure, 

 resorts to it day after day, until the whole mass is consumed. 



The Bibio larva was not found in the food of the Eobin 

 after the middle of June, but was replaced by a variety of in- 

 sects and worms ; also, caterpillars, spiders and beetles of the 

 family Elateridae — the parents of the well known wire-worms, 

 so destructive to various kinds of seeds, when committed to the 

 ground. The earth-worm was employed by the old birds for 

 feeding their young, but sparingly used for its own food. In 

 the season of cherries and strawberries, these and other pulpy 

 fruits were found intermingled witli insects in such proportions 

 as to show that the Eobin never uses an exclusively frugivorous 

 diet. He employs fruit as a dessert, not as a substantial meal. 

 The mixed diet of the Robin continues from the ripening of 

 strawberries until October ; the vegetable part consisting in 

 August and September of the berries of the Poke and Elder. 

 After this date, he feeds upon grass-hoppers and other orthop- 

 terous insects. A few Robins linger in our woods after the 

 general migration of the species, when they are often obliged to 

 feed upon winter-berries, especially if the snow has covered up 



