BIRDS, CATERPILLARS, AND PLANT LICE. 125 
with the small twigs of the oaks. On looking at them after the birds 
were gone I found small scales on the twigs. The birds also took plant 
lice from the under sides of the birch leaves, four larvee that looked like 
cankerworms, and three gipsy larva. A Red-eyed Vireo came four dif- 
ferent times, taking each time respectively seven, three, twelve, and 
fifteen gipsy larve. Besides these, he took plant lice and other insects 
from the leaves and bark. Yellow-throated Vireos were coming and 
going constantly, and I could not distinguish between them. They 
were eating plant lice and insects from the bark and leaves. I saw 
them eat thirty-two gipsy larve. I heard a commotion among the 
Robins that have a nest a short distance away. On going to the spot, 
I found a Crow in the act of carrying away one of the young birds. 
Probably he came later and took the remainder of the young, for the nest 
was empty when I returned. I changed my position to the edge of the 
woods. A pair of Bobolinks that are living in the fields near by came 
to the birches and picked plant lice for over half an hour, then a move- 
ment on my part frightened them away. The Orioles were busy taking 
the plant lice, and several times the male went to the tent caterpillars’ 
nest and ate them. I saw them eat over forty of the gipsy caterpillars, 
that I was sure of, in the hour they were in sight. There were Che- 
winks, Least Flycatchers, Redstarts, Scarlet Tanagers, Brown Thrushes, 
Wood Thrushes, and one Red-winged Blackbird that were feeding, but 
I could not see plainly what they were feeding on. 
May 28, 1898. — A Black-billed Cuckoo went to an oak tree and ate 
thirty-six forest tent caterpillars inside of five minutes. Its nest was 
near by, with two eggs, and both birds were carrying the withering 
blossoms of the oak and poplar to line it. The Black and White War- 
blers were eating forest tent caterpillars, cankerworms, and other larve, 
besides plant lice. I could not see them for more than a moment at 
a time, but when seen they were continually eating. They were also 
picking insects from the crevices of the bark. The Rose-breasted Gros- 
beaks were eating plant lice and the gall insects from the galls on the 
oak leaves. The Red-eyed Vireos were eating plant lice, forest tent 
caterpillars, cankerworms, and other larvee that I could not determine. 
From one oak tree the Red-eyed Vireos took ninety-two forest tent 
caterpillars in an hour. The Purple Finches were eating plant lice in the 
tops of the birches, but were so wild that their habits could not be 
observed. . . . A Red-winged Blackbird perched for a moment in the 
birches, and ate the plant lice while there. A pair of Catbirds have a 
nest near the grove, and they would both perch in the branches and pick 
the plant lice for an hour at a time., The Tanagers confined themselves 
almost wholly to the oaks, taking larve from the leaves. One took 
seven forest tent caterpillars from a mass on a branch. The Redstarts 
were equally as industrious as the Yellow-throats,) but they did not con- 
» See Mr. Mosher’s report regarding these Yellow-throats, on p. 62. 
