ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
473 
Almost invariably the larvae were beaten upon the ground and more or less 
mangled before they were eaten; and by taking advantage of the Robin when 
she lays her prey upon the ground, by throwing something at her she can 
usually be driven away and whatever she has captured obtained. How the 
Robin discovers these cut-worms is not easily explained. It is possible, however, 
that the larvae while gnawing at the bases and roots of the grass stems, while 
secreting themselves after their night’s raids, or while, toward evening, they 
grow restless and hungry, the slight movements which they produce among the 
grass are sufficient to betray their hiding places to the Robin. It should be ob¬ 
served in regard to these cut-worms, that large numbers of them are destroyed 
by various birds just after showers and during cool, drizzly and lowery days, 
when the absence of the scorching rays of the sun enables them to feed with 
quite as much comfort as during the night. Facts like these should weigh 
heavily against such a priori reasoning in regard to the general utility of birds, 
as “many (insects) are nocturnal and hide by day, with that instinct of self- 
preservation which is as much developed in them as in larger animals.” It may 
be added here, that possibly the greater activity which birds evince at the ap¬ 
proach of and during stormy weather may find a partial explanation in a corre¬ 
sponding activity of insect-life, which would enable them sooner to obtain a meal. 
While the Robin obtains a greater part of its food upon the ground, it does not 
reject those insects which it meets while passing among the branches of trees 
and shrubbery; and its ability to discover these insects is quite remarkable. I 
have seen it throw itself from the boughs of an oak tree into a grape vine 
standing three rods distant, and, without stopping, seize and bear to the ground 
a hog-caterpillar-of-the-vine which had attained about two-thirds its full size. 
The expedition with which this capture was made convinced me that the Robin 
must have marked its prey before it left the tree, and that, after all, “ mim¬ 
icry ” of colors does not furnish that protection to insects against birds which 
appears to be supposed. 
All are familiar with the situations in which the Robin builds her nest, and in 
this connection it need only be added that it is always located out of the way, 
where nothing but wilful hands and marauding cats are likely to disturb it. The 
two or three broods of from three to five individuals each indicate how destruc¬ 
tive to insects it must be, and how abundant it may become if properly protected 
and encouraged. It is generally amicable in its relations with other birds, and 
allows those whose haunts are similar, but whose work is different, to associate 
with it. Should this species become excessively abundant, it may be easily 
reduced without resorting to fire-arms — instruments whose murderous use has 
made them terrifying to birds of all kinds,—for their nests are easily discovered 
and reached. 
The results obtained from an examination of thirty-seven stomachs of the 
Robin are indicated, in a general way, in the two tables introducing the family. 
Of these specimens one was taken in March, one in April, eleven in Jime, thir¬ 
teen in July, five in August, six in September and one in October. 
Five birds had eaten eleven cut-worms; three, five wire-worms (Elaters); five, 
six grub-worms; two, two caterpillars (Arctians); one, a hog-caterpillar-of-the- 
vine (Choerocampa pampinatrix); five, eight scarabeans; two, two curculios 
(Brevirostres); one, a click-beetle (Elater); one, an ichneumon-fly (Anomalon?); 
two, two spiders; one, a millepede; two, two angle-worms; six, nine grasshop¬ 
pers; two, eight grasshopper eggs; one, a moth; three (young birds), pellets of 
grass; one. choke cherries; two, black cherries; one, raspberries; one, grapes 
one, sheep berries; and one, berries of Indian turnip. 
