The Canadian Horticulturist. 331 



dwellers in towns and cities cannot enjoy his musical charms, he loves solitude, 

 and is too proud to sing in captivity, which shows a higher degree of intelligence 

 than is possessed by some birds, who do not refuse to gratify the morbid curiosity 

 of persons who cruelly confine them in cages. 



The Brown Thrasher is a magnificent bird ; although his plumage is not of 

 bright colors, his form is handsome, his actions are graceful, and his habits are 

 admirable. His gr^^at compass and power of voice, his musical composition, his 

 artistic execution, as well as the vigorous manner in which he pours it forth, 

 is beyond that of any bird I know of. I wonder why brown thrashers have 

 not multiplied nearly so fast as the robins. They are probably as long-lived, 

 and in their nests I have generally found about the same number of eggs ; they 

 exercise great care over their nests. I have seen the female alight on a man's 

 arm, outstretched towards the nest when full of young ones ; and they always 

 make surprising demonstrations of displeasure when their nest is approached. 

 Perhaps it is partly because the robins nest near human habitations, where they 

 are partially protected from rapacious birds and other nest robbers, whereas the 

 thrashers make their nests in solitary places, on or near the ground, where they 

 are easily preyed upon by snakes, weasels, skunks, owls and crows. I believe 

 many of them are killed when they go to their winter residence in the Southern 

 States, where there is no law against killing migratory birds. 



The food of the Brown Thrasher is chiefly insects and their larvtC ; 1 have 

 seen him catching the codling moth, and on that account alone he should be 

 protected. Insects injurious to the interests of the horticulturist are alarmingly 

 on the increase. This year I have seen hickory, butternut and walnut trees 

 stripped of every leaf by the forest tent caterpillar, and some orchards not far 

 from here are sadly destroyed by the orchard tent caterpillar, so I fear that unless 

 our friendly birds are protected and encouraged, we will, in a few years, have 

 neither fruit nor forest trees. This bird, especially, should be guarded, even 

 although he takes some cherries and raspberries in their season, by way of dessert. 

 The good he does, and the pleasure he affords us, far over-balance what harm 

 he does. It is a great mistake to condemn a bird which does so much good, 

 meuely because he does a little harm. I do not know of a more lovable bird 

 than the Brown Thrasher. In color and markings, he very much resembles the 

 " HermitThrush," but is of more slender build, and nearly as long as the Black- 

 billed Cuckoo — about eleven inches. 



I). NiCHOL. 



Some Lar(;e Tomatoes are being produced at Orillia. Mr. H. Pellatt 

 sent the Packet office one sample weighing a pound and two ounces ; and Mr. 

 C. L. Stephens, one weighing a pound, three ounces and a half. Both were 

 Peter Henderson's new variety, the Ponderosa, an excellent show tomato, and 

 withal of good quality. 



