OTHER USEFUL BIRDS. 



221 



frequently take females, and doubtless destroy many in the 

 aorgregate during a season. The king bird appears to be the 

 most usefal flycatcher in this respect, and has been seen to 

 eat very many of the females. This bird may thus render 

 efficient service to the farmer by preventing the deposit of 

 many thousands of fertilized eggs. Its comparative value 

 as a gypsy moth destroyer depends largely upon the number 

 of female moths that it kills. 



Woodpeckers. — Of these most useful birds the three resi- 

 dent species have all been seen feeding upon the caterpillars 

 or pupee of the moth. 



The flicker has also been seen carrying caterpillars to its 

 young. Mr. W. C. Colt, an inspector in the employ of the 

 Board, saj^s that he watched a female flicker take nearly full- 

 grown larv?e to its young. The bird made regular trips to 

 its nest at intervals of from three to five minutes. The 

 downy woodpecker was observed by Mr. Bailey to eat a few 

 caterpillars, and to peck many others and afterward drop 

 them from the tree to the ground. 



From what is known of the habits of woodpeckers, it was 

 expected that they would be found to feed on the gypsy 

 moth pupae. The downy and hairy woodpeckers are known 

 to feed in winter to a greater or less extent on the hibernat- 

 ing pupae of mau}^ insects. Yet the hairy woodpecker only 

 has been observed to peck into the pupas of the gypsy moth. 

 This bird is not at all common in the district, but both 

 old and young birds have been seen feeding upon the pupae 

 by Mr. Mosher. 



There is much difference of opinion among observers as to 

 the comparative usefulness of certain species of birds in 

 destroying the gypsy moth. This is to be expected, as each 

 is prone to regard his own observations as conclusive in 

 respect to all the species which he observes. In drawing 

 conclusions from observations on the food of birds a o^reat 

 deal must be allowed for their individual preferences and 

 acquired tastes. For example : several observers report the 

 red- eyed and yellow-throated vireos as feeding eagerly on 

 gypsy moth caterpillars. Mr. Henry Shaw notes that in 

 one infested locality the red-eyes appeared to be living on 

 them, eating them constantly. Mr. C. E. Wood has seen 



