RUSSET-BACKED THRUSH (Hylocichla 

 ustulata). 



Length, 7J inches. Among thrushes having 

 the top of head and tail nearly the same color 

 as the back, this one is distinguished by its 

 tawny eye-ring and cheeks. The Pacific coast 

 subspecies is russet brown above, while Uie 

 other subspecies is the olive-backed thrush. 

 The remarks below apply to the species as a 

 whole. 



Eange: Breeds in the forested parts of Alaska 

 and Canada and south to California, Colorado, 

 Michigan, New York, West Virginia (moun- 

 tains), and Maine; winters from Mexico to 

 South America. 



Habits and economic status: This is one of a 

 small group of thrushes the members of which 

 are by many ranked first among American song- 

 birds. The several members resemble one an- 

 other in size, plumage, and habits. While this 

 thrush is very fond of fruit, its partiality for the neighborhood of streams keeps it 

 from frequenting orchards far from water. It is most troublesome during the 

 cherry season, when the young are in the nest. From this it might be inferred 

 that the young are fed on fruit, but such is not the case. The adults eat fruit, but 

 the nestlings, as usual, are fed mostly upon insects. Beetles constitute the largest 

 item of animal food, and ants come next. Many caterpillars also are eaten. The 

 great bidk of vegetable food consists of fruit, of which two-fifths is of cultivated 

 varieties. Where these birds live in or near gardens or orchards, they may do 

 considerable damage, but they are too valuable as insect destroyers to be killed if 

 the fruit can be protected in any other way. (See Biol. Surv. Bui. 30, pp. 86-92.) 



^,as 



RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET (Regulus calendula). 



Length, about 4J inches. OUve green above, soiled whitish below, concealed 

 feathers on head (crest) bright red. 



Range: Breeds in southern Canada, southern Alaska, and the higher moun- 

 tains of the western United States; winters in much of the United States and 

 south to Guatemala. 



Habits and economic status: In habits and haimts this tiny sprite resembles 

 a chickadee. It is an active, nervous little creature, flitting riither and yon in 

 search of food, and in spring stopping only long enough to utter its beau- 

 tiful song, surprismgly loud for the size of the 

 musician. Three-fourths of its food consists 

 of wasps, bugs, and flies. Beetles are the only 

 other item of importance (12 per cent). The 

 bugs eaten by the kinglet are mostly small, 

 but, happily, they are tl^ most harmful kinds. 

 Treehoppers, leafhoppers, and jumping plant 

 lice are pests and often do great harm to trees 

 and smaller plants, while plant lice and scale 

 insects are the worst scomrges of the fruit 

 grower — ^in fact, the prevalence of the latter 

 has almost risen to the magnitude of a national 

 peril. It is these small and seemingly insig- 

 nificant birds that most successfully attack and 

 hold in check these insidious foes of horticul- 

 ture. The vegetable food consists of seeds of 

 poison ivy, or poison oak, a few weed seeds, 

 and a few small fruits, mostly elderberries. 

 (See Biol. Surv. Bui. 30, pp. 81-84.) 



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