414 INSECTIVOILE. 



lawful prize, for which it searches under trees and hedges 

 after severe weather. It is, in short, a very omnivorous 

 bird, and plays the scavenger with equal diligence and grace. 

 It is also very bold and familiar, and will alight among the 

 poultry in the farm-yard or the dogs in the kennel ; nor does 

 it much heed the presence of people under the trees upon 

 which it is hunting. 



The last trait of its character makes it easily studied ; and 

 the best trees for watching it in are standard apple trees 

 which are partially injured by insects. Dull days, threatening 

 rain, in the summer months, and the mornings in the autumn 

 and spring, are the best times 'for observing it.' In summer, 

 ' it lurks more within the trees than at other times, though 

 not so much upon the bole and larger branches as the nut- 

 hatch and creeper. In autumn and spring, as well as in 

 winter (though at that season it sometimes finds the ground 

 a better pasture than the trees), it is more among the buds, 

 and though it may sometimes drive off clean buds in the 

 bustle and activity of its search, it probably does not pick off 

 any with its bill, except such as contain the eggs or the larvae 

 of insects. 



Granting that it does sometimes take off buds which would 

 produce shoots or fruit notwithstanding the insects that are 

 in them, or even buds in which there are no insects, it must 

 not be supposed that the effect is always mischievous. 

 Whether the beauty of trees can or cannot be improved by 

 pruning is a matter of taste ; but it is matter of fact, that 

 judicious pruning does improve the value both of timber 

 tree.s and forest trees, by producing long straight boles in the 

 former, and more abundant or larger fruit on the latter. 

 There no doubt remains a question as to the quality of the 

 timber and the flavour of the fruit, but there is none as to 

 the marketable appearance. If the pruning is delayed till 

 the shoots that are regarded as injurious be grown, all that 



