182 



OKDBRS OF BIEDS— PEECHERS AND SINGERS 



planted six feet from the edge of the main walk, 

 and directly in front of our head-quarters, a Rob- 

 in built her nest, only five feet from the ground ; 

 and there she reared her young. To many visit- 

 ors who loved birds, her nest was shown, but to 

 the Robin-killers and the nest-robbers no one 

 said a word. On Gardiner's Island, where cats 

 live not, the Robins nest on fence-rails only two 

 feet from the ground, in full view of the bird- 

 loving inhabitants of that small world. 



WOOD-THEUSH. 



Often we have been greatly interested by the 

 keenness of sight of the Robins which visit our 

 lawn. After every shower, certain Robins of 

 our acquaintance take possession of the lawn, 

 and stride over the grass with an air of great 

 importance and earnestness of purpose. After 

 several wise and sidewise cocks of the head, a 

 Robin will suddenly drive his bill far down into 

 the grass, and brace himself for a hard struggle. 

 By dint of many hard tugs, out comes the earth- 

 worm, to be borne away in triumph to a certain 

 nest. Often I have tried to see worms down 

 among the roots of the grass, as the Robins do, 

 but never once have I succeeded. Evidently 

 my objectives never were focused just right for 

 worms in green grass. 



In all save a very few localities in North Amer- 

 ica, the Robins are treated as friends. In the 

 "grape belt" of western New York, they are a 

 great annoyance to some grape-growers because 

 of the bunches they disfigui'e. Elsewhere they 

 are of great benefit to farmers, and the few cher- 

 ries they take in cherry time are very modest 



compensation for the noxious grubs they pick 

 out of the freshly ploughed fields. 



The investigations of the Biological Survey 

 of the Department of Agriculture have demon- 

 strated the great economic value of the Robin 

 as a destroyer of harmful insects. The contents 

 of three hundred and thirty stomachs of birds 

 taken in all seasons revealed the fact that in the 

 course of an entire year, insects make up 40 

 per cent of the food of Robins, wild fruit 43 per 

 cent, cultivated fruit 8 per cent, and miscel- 

 laneous vegetable food 5 per cent. 



Regarding the killing of Robins, and other 

 song-birds, and also doves, as food for man in a 

 land of plenty, there cannot be two opinions. 

 It is not necessary; it is not "sport"; it is very 

 injurious to our farmers and fruit-growers, and 

 entirely reprehensible. No self-respecting boy 

 or man can be guilty of such wrong-doing; no 

 eivilizid community should tolerate it for one 

 moment, and no farmer can afford to permit it! 

 I would rather that any friend of mine should 

 be caught stealing a sheep than killing Robins, 

 either for food or "sport." 



Let us protect the great American Robin, and 

 all other perching-birds, even at the point of the 

 bayonet if it be necessary. 



The Wood-Thrush^ is one-fifth smaller than 

 a robin, and is easily recognized anywhere by 

 its beautifully spotted breast. It has aljout 

 fifty dark-brown spots, often arranged in rows 

 up and down its breast, belly and throat, on a 

 creamy-white ground color. Other thrushes 

 have dark spots on the breast, but not down to 

 the legs. The head and shoulders of this bird 

 are of a bright cinnamon color. 



This graceful creature often works overtime 

 to make the woods melodious, and it is one of our 

 sweetest singers. It is not so bold and confi- 

 dent as the robin, and is much given to follow- 

 ing the robin's lead. Its favorite haunt is the 

 sweet seclusion of shady woods and thickets, 

 where the half-bare earth affords good hunting- 

 grounds, and a fair degree of safety from ob- 

 servation. Its nesting habits are very much 

 like tho.se of the robin, and its range includes 

 the whole eastern half of the United States, to 

 the Great Plains beyond the Mississippi. 



The Common Bluebird.^ — The United 



' Hy-lo-ci'cMa mus-tel-i'na. Length, 8 inches. 

 ' Si-a'li-a si-a'lis. Length, 6.75 inches. 



