2(35 



charges laid against its character besides. Several members 

 participated in the discussion, of whom Messrs. Fowler, Upton, 

 Mudge and Russell were the principal speakers and ])y whom 

 the bird was defended or charged with faults, in turn as its 

 present character in relation to gardncrs' and farmers' in- 

 terest, was concerned. The imporUint fact authenticated by 

 Mr. F. W. P. Jenks, Professor of Entomology to the Massa- 

 chusetts Horticultural Soc! ^iy, of its utility iji helping to 

 annihilate the cut worm of the meadow grass, a pestilent 

 fly, which in its larva condition bites off, beneath the ground, 

 the growing stalk of the young grass, was commented upon, 

 as an evidence in its favor as the agriculturalists' friend. 

 Mr. Jenks found the stomach of the robin oftentimes filled 

 with these pernicious grubs, which he subsequently ascer- 

 tained to be the transition state of Bibio aibipermis of Say, 

 a crane-fly of the order Tipuladie. Xor were these its only 

 insect food ; but other species were discovered to enter into 

 its animal diet. Such a diligent co-laborer Vvdth man were 

 surely entitled to a dessert of a few of tlio finest cherries or 

 of the sweetest strawberries. An instance of the secret ben- 

 efactions bestowed by what are termed mischievous birds, 

 was brought forward in the case of the domestic pigeon or 

 dove, in the stomachs of whose young were found innumer- 

 able canker-worms gathered assiduously by the parent birds 

 from the apple-trees of a neighboring garden, which they had 

 for some time previousl}^ frequented, much to the surprise 

 of the owner, who could not imagine for what purpose they 

 alighted upon these branches, a habit rather unusual to 

 these birds. 



Some new resident members being now elected, the Insti- 

 tute adjourned. 



ESSEX INST. PROCEED. VOL. ii. 34. 



