,10 LIFE-HISTORIES OF BIJIDS 



objects of special regard by the Purple Grakle, 

 which visits the nest and carries off the tender 

 fledglings as articles of diet. The parents provide 

 for their physical wants during a period of i8 

 :days, when they are driven from the nest to earn 

 their own livelihood. 



The following insects constitute an important 

 part of the food of the young: Ea;-th worm {Lum- 

 bricus terrcslris), ground beetle {Lachnosterna 

 quercina), measuring worms {Geometra catenaria 

 of Harris, Anisopteryx vernata, EufitcJiia ribeana), 

 Dryocampa rubicunda, rose slug (Selandria rostz), 

 sulphur butterfly [Colzas philodice), cabbage but- 

 terfly [Pieris oleracccE) , in their larval condition ; 

 besides various dipterous insects as the house fly 

 (Musca domesHca), white-lined horse fly [Tabanus 

 lineold), stable fly [S/omoxys calci trans), mosquito 

 {Culex tieniorhynchus), 2ind others. Add to these 

 the fruits of the several varieties of cherry {Pimnus 

 cerasus), the strawberry [Fragaria virginiana), and 

 the various species of Rubus or blagkberry, and 

 you have a bill of fare not to be despised. As the 

 young increase in size and strength other articles 

 are added to their diet. 



Of all species the Robin is pre-eminently insect- 

 ivorous. It is true that it will feed upon seeds 

 and berries when insect-food cannot be obtained. 

 Besides the berries mentioned above we have 

 found it feeding upon Rubzis villosus and Rubus 

 ■canadensis among blackberries; the wild choke- 

 cherry [Prunus serotind), the 'cedar {yuniperus 



