THE ECONOMIC VALUE OF BIRDS 



quitoes. Surely this splendid representative of the 

 Goatsucker family deserves the gratitude of all 

 American citizens. 



Among the branches of certain of our fruit trees we 

 sometimes see large webs which have been made by 

 the tent caterpillars. An invading host seems to 

 have pitched its tents among the boughs on all sides. 

 If undisturbed these caterpillars strip the foliage from 

 the trees. Fortunately there is a bird which is very 

 fond of these hairy intruders. This is the Cuckoo, 

 and he eats so many that his stomach actually be- 

 comes lined with a thick coating of hairs from their 

 woolly bodies. The Baltimore Oriole also is fond of 

 rifling these webs. 



Another well-known bird that helps to make this 

 part of the world habitable is the Flicker. It is pop- 

 ular in every neighbourhood where it is found and is 

 known by a wide variety of local names, over one 

 hundred and twenty-five of which have been re- 

 corded. Golden-winged Woodpecker some people 

 call it. Other names are High-holder, Wake-up, 

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