Eighth Report of the State Entomologist. 237 



enemies avIio persistently seek them for food; and by tihe targe 

 numbers that they devour greatly mitigate the injuries that their 

 unchecked increase would otherwise cause. Several of our com- 

 mon birds render effective service in this direction. Foremost 

 among these is bhe robin, of which it has been said: " Its eminently 

 terrestrial habits, its fondness for larvae of various kinds, and its 

 ability to obtain those that are hidden beneath the turf, give 

 it a usefulness in destroying cut-worms which no other bird pos- 

 sesses in the same degree, and for this feature in its economy alone, 

 its greater abundance should be encouraged. Early in the inoin- 

 ing, and toward the close of the evening, the robin may often 

 be seen searching for cutworms in lawns, pastures, and meadows, 

 and when thus engaged it hops about, gazing apparently more 

 at distant objects than searching for something near at hand; then, 

 suddenly, it commences tearing up the old grass and turf with its 

 bill, and, in another instant, it stands triumphant with its wrig- 

 gling prize in its bill, for it rarely digs in vain. I have seen a robin 

 capture, in this manner, five cut-wonns in less than ten minutes, 

 and five other birds within view were doing the same work." 



Other birds that are known to prey upon cut-womis are the 

 cat-bird {Mimus Oarolinenis L.), the red-winged blackbird (Agel- 

 (Beus Ph(B7iiceusJj) , and the purple grackle (Quiscalus j)urjpureus). 



Poultry, and especially chickens, are efficient destroyers of 

 them in gardens in the spring, when they scan closely the upturned 

 ground, and are quick to detect and devour them. 



Among the members of their own class that feed upon them, is 

 the larva of a ground-beetle, known as Calosoma ealidum (Fabr.). 

 It is so destructive to them, and attacks them with so much 

 energy, even if the worm be twice its size, that it has been des- 

 ignated as the " cut-worm lion." 



The larva of another beetle, Harjjalus caliginosus (Fabr.), is 

 also its persistent enemy; and from its ferocity in seizing its 

 prey, and its strange, irregular form, it has been called the "cut- 

 worm's dragon." Dr. Fitch has written of it: "When not glutted 

 with food, it is running about incessantly in search of these worms, 

 and slays them without mercy; with its powerful jaws seizing 

 them commonly by the throat, and, regardless of their violent 



