THE OOLOGIST. 



the greatest destroyer of the worst kinds of 

 insects injurious to vegetation, was the 

 House Sparrow. Throughout the year its 

 food was found to consist very largely' of 

 insect-food and exclusively so during its 

 breeding season. It begins early to breed 

 and has many broods in a season, and all 

 the time it consumes itself, and feeds to its 

 young, insects of the most destructive kinds. 

 Next to the Sparrow ranks the Rook, a 

 bird in its habits and character most like 

 our Cormis americanns. The Hooded 

 Crows, the Common Crows, the Jays and 

 the Magpies, all of which rank high as de- 

 stroyers of noxious insects, were all more 

 or less obnoxious to the charge of being al- 

 so themselves destructive, and it became of- 

 ten a nice question how nearly their good and 

 their opposite propensities were balanced. 

 But the answer was not long doubtful when 

 it was satisfactorily demonstrated, that 

 though their undesirable actions were more 

 open to observations, they wei'e of much less 

 extent and moment than their benefactions. 

 So that now there is a general and grow- 

 ing disposition to protect and favor many 

 birds that half a century ago were under the 

 law and even had a price set on their heads. 



The most prominent discovery of this 

 commission was that, in their season of re- 

 production, all land birds of every kind 

 consume insects and feed them to their 

 young. To this there were no exceptions. 

 Even Hawks were found to be largely in- 

 sect eaters, and Finches, and other birds 

 that usually eat only seeds change their own 

 diet when they are breeding and bring up 

 their young with larvae. Moreover, the 

 amount of food they consume at siich times 

 is enormous. Most young birds consume 

 in a day, more than their own weight of 

 insects. 



These are some of the principal conclu- 

 sions reached by this memorable commis- 

 sion, and on which are based the protective 

 laws of France. They are suggestive and 

 ought to be better known than they now are. 



The Least Tern in Oneida County, 

 N. Y. — It is with considerable pleasure 

 that we announce the addition to the birds 

 of Central New York, of the Least Tern 

 {Sterna antillarmri) ^ on the strength of a 

 single specimen shot at New Hartford by 

 Mr. F. J. Davis. Perhaps we shall soon 

 find that, even though Utica has no sea or 

 lake coast, its ponds and streams afford 

 good opportunities for obtaining Terns. 



(jENERAL X^PICS. 



Superb illustration next month. 



— The National Spoi'tsmen's Convention 

 held in Syracuse was this year not as suc- 

 cessful a meeting as in former years, only 

 six members being present. 



— A paper states that a nest of young 

 Robins were reared by a House Wren. The 

 parent birds had been killed and the Wren 

 took the matter under its control, feeding 

 its adopted chicks with much interest and 

 affection. 



— We are pleased to know that the in- 

 troduction of the English Starling in the 

 Central Park, New York City, has received 

 favorable recognition. If by some means 

 this bird could replace the Sparrow, con- 

 cerning which so much has been written 

 and said, pro and con^ the country at large 

 would doubtless appreciate the change. 



COERESPONDENCE. 



I. J. Hyde, St. Louis. — If you will refer to 

 No. 7 of Vol. II, page 55, you will find the 

 desired information in regard to the Foolish 

 Guillemot. 



Subscribers — will find on our advertising 

 page what back issues can be had. The num- 

 ber is limited ; those who are desirous of ob- 

 taining these should improve the opportunity. 



g^^Supplements to Nos. 9-10 and 11, print- 

 ed on fine paper in pamphlet form, may be 

 obtained of us at 10 cents each. 



A Fish Hawk has been kept in confine- 

 ment in Germany for eighty years. 



