effectual hunters are the tits, the wren, the summer warblers, and 
(during nestiug time) the sparrow. 
The deadly woolly aphis, or American blight, which is held 
answerable for the alarming decay of late years of so many beech 
trees, as well as of disastrous injury to forest trees and orchards in 
general, is most effectually dealt with by the tit family—the blue 
tit in particular. Another remarkable insect, said, indeed, to be a 
species of aphis, is the small creature which produces the larch 
disease, and after the passing of the Wild Birds Protection Act the 
larch disease of Scotland noticeably decreased, the cure being 
attributed especially to the long-tailed tit and the gold-crested 
wren. 
Boring beetles, devastating caterpillars, and sundry lilipntians 
which in their huge battalions can attack and kill forest trees, are 
diligently hunted by the tits, and by such birds as the nuthatch, 
tree-creeper, wryneck, and woodpecker. The scolytus beetle, a 
special favourite with the blue-tit, has destroyed forests ; and 
Mr. Poach Smith has narrated how, in the neighbourhood of 
Brussels, where he noted an almost entire absence of insectivorous 
birds, the trees were stripped of their leaves and chafers weighed 
down the naked boughs like onions on a rope. 
The cockchafer grub is too big a mouthful for the dainty tit; 
moreover as it is especially a pest of the field it requires the 
attentions of a field bird. Cockchafer, wireworm, and leather- 
jacket are the three furies which, more than any other enemy, 
menace the prosperity of the farmer. The opposition to these 
dangerous destroyers consists mainly of rooks, lapwings, starlings, 
and jackdaws, assisted by magpies and some other birds, and by 
others again, such as nightjar, wheat-ear, corncrake, shrike, and 
jay, which eat the insects in their fully developed state. 
It is hard to say which of the three birds first mentioned is the 
best friend of the farmer. Of the lapwing or plover nothing but good 
can be said, and the fashionable demand for its eggs for the table is 
a demand for so many more wireworms for the land. The rook may 
make too free with spring corn, especially if not deep planted, for in 
spring he is often hard up for a meal; he may injure ripening corn, 
pull up turnips and potatoes in seeking for the grubs at their root, 
and peck root crops which are left in the ground during winter; 
but his worst offences are not comparable with the records of the 
destruction wrought by the underground devourers, and apart from 
these failings he is one of the most invaluable fellow-workers 
ever farmer had. 
The starling has a fondness for cherries, especially in thirsty 
weather; as public servant his services to agriculture and horti¬ 
culture would be slenderly paid by the dedication of an orchard to 
