62 SEVENTH REPORT OF THE FOREST, FISH AND GAME COMMISSION. 



SO far as observation has gone, most birds seem to prefer its fruit to any other. It 

 is believed that a number of these planted around the garden or orchard would 

 fully protect the more valuable fruits." (Beal.) 



Wood Thrush {Hylocichla mustelina). — Professor Forbes writes after examining 

 the contents of twenty-two birds of this species : " Seventy-one per cent of their 

 food consisted of insects and twenty per cent of fruit, a small ratio of spiders and 

 mollusks, and an unusually large percentage of Myriopoda making up the remain- 

 der." After discussing in detail the bird's economic relations the same author adds : 

 " Its advances, therefore, are to be cordially encouraged by the gardener and farmer 

 — a fact which must be especially agreeable to every lover of bird music, who has 

 learned to recognize the full, clear, rich, exquisite strains of this songster." 



Hermit Thrush (Hylocichla guttata pallasii). — Of the food contents of the 

 stomachs of twenty-one Hermit Thrushes Professor Forbes writes : " Eighty-four 

 per cent of the food consisted of insects, four per cent of spiders, and twelve per 

 cent of thousand-legs. Ants amounted to fifteen per cent, Lepidoptera to nineteen 

 per cent, including a few Phalaenidae, and Diptera only to three — chiefly the larvae 

 of Bibio. Coleoptera make thirty per cent of the carabidae." 



Bluebird {Sialia sialis). — " So far as known, this bird has not been accused of 

 stealing fruit or of preying upon any crops. An examination of 205 stomachs 

 showed that 76 per cent of the food consists of insects and their allies, while the 

 other 24 per cent is made up of various vegetable substances, found mostly in 

 stomachs taken in winter. Beetles constitute 28 per cent of the whole food, grass- 

 hoppers 22, caterpillars 11, and various insects, including quite a number of spiders, 

 comprise the remainder of insect diet. All are more or less harmful, except a few 

 predaceous beetles, which amount to 8 per cent, but in view of the large consump- 

 tion of grasshoppers and caterpillars, we can at least condone this defence, if such it 

 may be called. The destruction of grasshoppers is very noticeable in the months of 

 August and September, when these insects form more than 60 per cent of the diet. 



" It is evident that in the selection of its food the Bluebird is governed by abun- 

 dance rather than by choice. Predaceous beetles are eaten in spring, as they are 

 among the first insects to appear ; but in early summer caterpillars form an impor- 

 tant part of the diet, and are replaced a little later by grasshoppers. Beetles are 

 eaten at all times, except when grasshoppers are more easily obtained. 



" So far as its vegetable food is concerned, the Bluebird is positively harmless. 

 The only trace of any useful product in the stomachs consisted of a few blackberry 

 seeds, and even these more probably belonged to wild than cultivated varieties. 

 Following is a list of the various seeds which were found : Blackberry, chokeberry, 



