550 
ECONOMIC RELATIONS OF OUR BIRDS. 
food consists of grasshoppers. It is always in the open meadows and pastures 
where other birds are few, and its large size would enable it to render an im¬ 
mense service if it were permitted to become more abundant. Its flesh is sweet, 
but its natural enemies are too numerous, its nesting places too exposed, and its 
usefulness in destroying insects too great to justify its sacrifice to the taste of the 
epicure. In the south it is accused of pulling lye and wheat, but the only injury 
which I know of its doing in Wisconsin is its destiaiction of some of the ground 
and tiger-beetles. 
Food: Of twenty-one specimens examined, twelve had eaten forty beetles — 
among them a may-beetle: one, a weevil; eight, ground-beetles; and one, a tiger- 
beetle; eleven, nineteen grasshoppers; four, seven caterpillai-s; and three, four 
other larvae. Among the caterpillai-s a hairy form. Two, two small moths; 
one, a small dragon-fly; and one, a single thistle-seed. 
Insects, grub-worms, caterpillars and grass seeds (Wilson). Seeds and various 
insects (De Kay). Beetles and various other insects, and grass seeds (Nuttall). 
Caterpillars, beetles — among them ground-beetles, one of the Silphidae, flower- 
beetles and plant-beetles; grasshoppei-s, myriaiiods and corn (Forbes). 
116. STUENELLA MAGNA NEGLECTA (AuD.), All. WESTERN MEADOW 
LARK. Group II. Class a. 
This variety is reported by Dr. Hoy as occurring occasionally near Racine, and 
as it occurs commonly in Iowa it may be expected to occur occasionally in the 
western part of the state. Since writing the above I have found it on Hudson 
Prairie, St. Croix county, where it breeds. 
117. Icterus spurius (Linn.), Bp. ORCHARD ORIOLE; CHESTNUT HANG- 
NEST. Group 1. Class a. 
Mr. Nelson gives this species as a rather common summer resident in North¬ 
eastern Illinois, and it has been so reported by Dr. Hoy from Racine. It is cer¬ 
tainly a rare bird in Central Wisconsin. As its name implies, it is partial to 
orchards, is almost wholly insectivorous, and has not been known to molest any 
of the products of husbandry. Its southern habitat, however, excludes it from 
the state at large. 
118. Icterus galbula (Linn.), Coues. BALTIMORE ORIOLE; GOLDEN 
ROBIN; HANGNEST. Group I. Class b. 
This energetic and brilliantly attired vocalist and its ingenious hanging nest 
are familiar objects to all. Shady villages, orchards, and the vicinity of dwell¬ 
ings where trees abound are its favorite haunts, but groves and the borders of 
woodlands also offer it special attractions. In New England it is accused of 
feeding upon the esculent pods of pea-vines; and horticulturists complain that 
it feasts upon their berries, grapes and cherries — destroying at times more than 
it eats, by biting into the fruit. For these misdemeanors it has been consigned 
to extirpation; and yet, it would be equally consistent and generous to discharge 
a faithful servant for eating a few of the fruits he tends. 
The Golden Oriole, appears to be very fond of caterpillars of various kinds, 
and what is still more in its favor, it feeds extensively upon some forms which 
are either not relished by other birds or are protected in some way from them. 
Prof. J. H. Comstock informs me that he has seen it thrust its head through the 
web of the tent-caterpillar and remove the inmates. An instance which came 
