NATURE’S MEANS OF LIMITING THE NUMBERS OF INSECTS. 271 
own, availed myself of the knowledge of some of our ornithol- 
ogists. 
I am indebted to Mr. C. J. Maynard of Ipswich for the fol- 
lowing information upon the birds which devour the canker worm. 
He informs me that in the course of his investigations he has 
opened the stomachs of some three thousand birds. 
“In answer to your questions relative tu birds eating canker 
worms and the larve of other injurious insects I would say that 
upon examining my notes, I find that I have taken canker worms 
from the stomachs of the following species :—red-eyed vireo 
(Vireo olivaceus), song sparrow (Melospiza melodia), chickadee 
Parus atricapillus), scarlet tanager (Pyranga ru 
(Turdus migratorius), black billed cuckoo (Coccygus erythroph- 
thalmus), wood pewee (Contopus vireus), least pewee (Empidonan 
(Seiurus aurocapillus), chestnut-sided warbler ndroica Pensyl- 
vanica), yellow warbler (D. œstiva), black and yellow warbler 
. discolor), black-polled war- 
t he t ‘ e f 
above species which I have shot at this time have their stomachs 
crammed with insects of some kind 
he other evening the Baltimore oriole , 
I ked to you t ) c 
_ Will eat largely of the tent caterpillar, and is the only bird which 
will do this. 
All the thrushes will eat wire worms. The swallows destroy 
multitudes of dipterous insects (gnats, etc.). In fact to sum the 
matter up there is scarcely a bird which will not eat largely of 
insects at certain seasons, when these pests are most abundant. 
t is a noticeable fact that many species inhabiting w 
meadows, as may be seen by the list given, leave their usual haunts 
- 
and visit the fruit trees which are covered with canker worms » 
and largely devour them. 
