250 
OMNIVOROUS EIRDS. 
the beginning of April, before the ripening of their favor- 
ite fruits, the cherries and mulberries. But at this sea- 
son, to repay the gardener for the tythe of his crop, their 
natural due, they fail not to assist in ridding his trees of 
more deadly enemies which infest them, and the small 
caterpillars, beetles, and various insects now constitute 
their only food ; and for hours at a time they may be 
seen feeding on the all-despoiling Canker-worms,* which 
infest our Apple trees and Elms. On these occasions, 
silent and sedate, after plentifully feeding, they sit dres- 
sing their feathers, in near contact on the same branch 
to the number of 5 or 6 ; and as the season of selective 
attachment approaches, they may be observed pluming 
each other, and caressing with the most gentle fondness ; 
a playfulness, in which, however, they are even surpassed 
by the contemned Raven, to which social and friendly 
family our Cedar Bird, different as he looks, has many 
traits of alliance. But these demonstrations of attach- 
ment, which, in a more vigorous kind, would kindle the 
feud of jealousy, apparently produce in this bird scarcely 
any diminution of the general social tie ; and as they are 
gregarious to so late a period of the inviting season of incu- 
bation, this affection has been supposed to be independent 
of sexual distinction. This friendly trait is carried so 
far, that an eye-witness f assures me he has seen one 
among a row of these birds seated upon a branch dart 
after an insect, and offer it to his associate when caught, 
who very disinterestedly passed it to the next, and each 
delicately declining the offer, the morsel has proceeded 
backwards and forwards before it was appropriated. 
Whatever may be the fact, as it regards this peculiar so- 
ciability, it frequently facilitates the means of their de- 
* The caterpillar larva of a Phalana , \ My fjiend S, Green, Esq., of Boston. 
