﻿The Rose-breasted Grosbeak 115 



lighted under a rock, and, spreading out my scanty stock of provisions, I 

 reclined on my grassy couch. As I looked around on the fading features 

 of the beautiful landscape, my heart turned toward my distant home, 

 where my friends were doubtless wishing me, as I wished them, a happy 

 night and peaceful slumbers. Then were heard the barkings of the watch- 

 dog, and I tapped my faithful companion to prevent his answering them. 

 The thoughts of my worldly mission then came over my mind, and having 

 thanked the Creator of all for His never-failing mercy, I closed my eyes, and 

 was passing away into the world of dreaming existence, when suddenly 

 there burst on my soul the serenade of the Rose-breasted bird, so rich, so 

 mellow, so loud in the stillness of the night, that sleep fled from my eyelids. 

 Never did I enjoy music more: it thrilled through my heart, and surrounded 

 me with an atmosphere of bliss. One might easily have imagined that even 

 the Owl, charmed by such delightful music, remained reverently silent. 

 Long after the sounds ceased did I enjoy them, and when all had again be- 

 come still, I stretched out my wearied limbs, and gave myself up to the 

 luxury of repose." 



With this delightful tribute of the artist naturalist to the esthetic 

 qualities of this bird, let us turn to its practical or economic value. 



The Colorado potato-beetle dwelt near the base of the Rocky Moun- 

 tains, feeding upon the sand-bur until about the year 1859. At this time 

 it began to be a pest in the potato-fields of the settlers in that region. 

 Having acquired the habit of feeding upon the cultivated potato, it began 

 its eastward march across the continent, spreading from potato-patch to 

 potato-patch. At first the migration took place at about the rate of fifty 

 miles a year, but later it was more rapid; and in 1874 the insect reached 

 i the Atlantic coast (Comstock, ' Study of Insects ' ) . 



The spread of the potato-beetle pest caused an enormous loss to the 

 farmers of the country, not only by the failure of the potato crops, but also 

 by the cost of insecticides, principally Paris green, used to destroy this vora- 

 cious beetle. It is doubtful whether the farmers of the country would have 

 ibeen able to successfully contend with the potato-beetle had not Nature 

 interposed one of her powerful checks. As the beetle extended its range 

 and became more numerous, the Rose-breasted Grosbeak developed a 

 newly acquired taste for this pest. Professor Beal, of the United States 

 Department of Agriculture, has furnished the following very interesting 

 ^statement, which shows conclusively the very great value of this bird: 



"No stomachs of the Rose -breasted Grosbeak have yet been examined 

 ioy the Biological Survey, but the bird's habit of eating the Colorado potato- 

 beetle is a matter of common observation. The first published report upon 

 this work was made, as far as I know, by Prof. C. E. Bessey, of the Agri- 

 :ultural College of Iowa, more than twenty-five years ago, when the insect 

 |irst made its appearance. At about the same time a woman writer in 



