728 MICHIGAN BIRD LIVE. 
The winter of 1894-95 will be remembered at the south for its deep snows 
and unparalleled cold weather, and that winter proved fatal to thousands, 
perhaps millions, of Bluebirds, Robins, and a few other species which 
normally winter in the southern parts of the United States. The Bluebird 
gets the larger part of its food from the ground, and although it can subsist 
for a time upon seeds and berries, is unable to survive indefinitely upon 
such fare. Hence, when it was overtaken by the severe weather of 
January, February and March, 1895, the birds perished by the thousand, 
and for a year or two ornithologists feared that the species might have 
received a blow which would result in its complete extinction. Fortunately, 
however, the Bluebirds multiplied rapidly and have again occupied a 
large part of their previous nesting territory, so that at the present time 
they are almost as numerous as ever. 
The beauty of the Bluebird’s plumage, its simple but pleasing warble, 
and the fact that it returns to us in earliest spring, while the snow still 
covers the face of the earth and other birds are extremely rare, has endeared 
it to dwellers in town and country alike, and has rendered it a favorite 
with all nature lovers. It has no objectionable traits, eats no cultivated 
fruits (although partial to many wild berries) and is a voracious consumer 
of insects, of which it eats an immense variety, although perhaps not always 
with such discrimination as the agriculturist could wish. Undoubtedly, 
as shown by numerous investigations, it eats an undue proportion of 
ground-beetles, which are believed to be more or less beneficial; but, on 
the other hand, it consumes large quantities of caterpillars, cut-worms, 
injurious beetles, grasshoppers, and other insect foes, the destruction 
of which is certainly of inestimable value to the farmer. 
Prof. 8. A. Forbes has recorded the food found in the stomachs of 108 
Bluebirds from various parts of Illinois and gives as his conclusions the 
following: ‘‘The injurious insects destroyed include 26 percent of lepi- 
doptera, nearly two-thirds of which were recognized as noctuide, 3 percent 
of leafchafers, and 21 percent of orthoptera, a total of 50 percent on this 
side of the account. On the other hand, ichneumons amount to 38 percent, 
the carabidae to 7 percent, soldier-beetles to 1 percent, soldier-bugs to 3 
percent and spiders to 8 percent, a total of 22 percent of predaceous and 
parasitic forms.” From what we now know of the food habits of any of 
these insects it seems certain that even this showing, which was considered 
unfavorable to the Bluebird, is in reality a very creditable one. The 
ground-beetles are now known to be much less valuable than was formerly 
supposed, while the spiders may probably be disregarded altogether. 
A single Bluebird shot in a canker-worm orchard in Tazwell county, Il, 
and examined by Prof. Forbes, had made 60 percent of its meal of canker- 
worms; the remainder consisted of 4 percent of spiders, one of scavenger 
beetles, and the rest of predaceous beetles. Prof. Forbes has shown that 
in March 38 percent of the food of Illinois Bluebirds consists of cut-worms 
and related caterpillars, while in May moths, caterpillars, Junebeetles 
and grasshoppers form 55 percent of the stomach contents. Later in 
the summer, in July and August, locusts, crickets, grasshoppers, moths and 
caterpillars form its insect food, and little else is eaten except a few wild 
berries. 
On the whole there is no doubt whatever that the Bluebird is a decidedly 
beneficial species and it should be protected and encouraged whenever 
possible. Under some circumstances it responds quickly to protection, 
but when it has once been driven away by English Sparrows or red squirrels 
