BIRDS AS CONSERVATORS OF THE FOREST. 265 



of destruction. In the same way many destructive weevils have been found in the 

 stomachs of birds that never could have taken the insect in its feeding and breeding 

 haunts, but while it was migrating for the purpose of finding fresh foliage and 

 new unoccupied feeding grounds. In like manner the whole body of insect-eating 

 birds are at all times preying upon insects that may be more or less harmful to 

 forest trees, but which they find, not in the place where that destruction is wrought, 

 but while in transit from one place to another. Wherever an insect is destroyed, 

 if it be a species that ever feeds upon a forest tree, the forest is benefited by the 

 work, for the species is reduced in numbers, and fewer progeny will be brought 

 forth to prey upon vegetation in general, forests included. 



P)ir<l5 a^ Distributors of ^Seeds. 



Thus far the vegetable portion of the food of the birds under discussion has 

 not been considered. In the case of many of the foregoing species it is the minor 

 part and of least importance, but still should not be neglected, as some of it plays 

 an important part in relation to the forest. Many trees bear fruits or nuts which 

 constitute an important element of the food of many species of birds, and by them 

 are transported from the forest tree to other places, where they are dropped and 

 often spring up, and if the conditions are favorable grow to be trees. In this 

 way the cedars, the wild cherries, the dogwoods, tupelos, maples, ashes, and all 

 the nut-bearing trees are often propagated. While nature has in many cases 

 provided the seeds of plants with special means for their distribution, many of 

 them are dependent upon the animal kingdom to place them in a situation where they 

 can germinate and grow. In this work various birds play an important part. 



When seeds are eaten by birds, one of two things is liable to happen. Either 

 the seeds themselves are broken and ground up by the action of the stomach, 

 aided by the gravel contained therein, or else some digestible coating is taken off 

 and assimilated, and the remainder either passed out through the intestine or 

 regurgitated uninjured. The former takes place in the fringelline birds, the black 

 birds, the gallinaceous birds, and some others that subsist largely upon seeds. 

 In the case where small fruits containing seeds are taken as food, it is the pulp 

 which is sought for, and when the process of digestion has removed this, the 

 seed is usually passed out in a condition to germinate. 



It is a time-honored belief that a seed which has passed through the digestive 

 tract of an animal is in a much better condition for germination than before. How- 

 ever this may be, it is certain that when swallowed by a bird the seed has a better 

 chance to be dropped at a distance from the parent plant, where the conditions for 



