gocoyzus ainer icanus . 
Concord, Mass. Eating caterpillars. 
1898. The white maples along the river banks are infested with 
June 22. grass-green caterpillars which are fast denuding these beauti- 
ful trees of their foliage. "" » " Having constantly seen or 
heard Cuckoos (of both species but oftenest the Yellow-bills) 
of late in the maples over the canoe landing I watched one of 
the birds ( C .amer icanus ) to-day and found, as I had suspected, 
that it was feasting on the caterpillars. It obtained them 
by flitting or hopping from branch to branch and reaching or 
fluttering up to seize them from the under sides of the leaves 
I saw it catch and devour six within the space of as many 
minutes. I doubt if we have any bird that is more valuable 
as a guardian of our shade trees than the Cuckoo. 
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