The Food of Birds. 
123 
during these months amounted to five per cent, of the 
food, and those by the catbird to twelve per cent. Dip- 
tera were two per cent, and five per cent., Lepidoptera 
thirteen per cent, and seven per cent., Coleoptera thirteen 
and twelve, Carabidae four and five, leaf-chafers three 
and two, wireworms three and a trace, snout-beetles two 
and one, Hemiptera three and two, Orthoptera four and 
three ; Araclmida a trace and two, Myriapoda a trace and 
three ; raspberries and blackberries fourteen and twenty- 
four, cherries eighteen and twelve, currants three and 
one, grapes eleven and three, and strawberries — none by 
the robin and one per cent, by the catbird. From this it 
will be seen that the notable differences in the food- 
habits of these birds are the much larger ratios of ants, 
Diptera and berries eaten by the catbird; and of Lepi- 
doptera, wireworms, cherries and grapes eaten by the 
robin. It also appears that the catbird has a much more 
hearty appetite for spiders and thousand-legs than the 
robin. 
It is not likely that there is any such active competi- 
tion for food between these two species as this close 
agreement in the kinds taken at the same place and sea- 
son would imply. The stress of the robin’s struggle for 
subsistence evidently comes in early spring, before the 
advent of the catbird ; and by the time the latter appears 
there is probably an abundance of food for both species. 
The earlier departure of the catbird likewise prevents 
any stringent competition in the later months. 
Economic Relations. 
Remembering that the chief economic service of the 
robin is done before and after the midsummer wealth of 
fruits tempts it from the chase of insects, we find it not 
unreasonable that the catbird, coming later and depart- 
ing earlier, scarcely anticipating the garden fruits in its 
arrival and disappearing when the vineyard and orchard 
are at their best, should be a much less useful bird than 
its companion. The credit I have given it must be still 
further reduced because of its serious depredations in 
the apple orchard. I have often seen it busily scooping 
