13 
HALF HOURS WITH INSECTS. [Packard. 
Fig. 7, adult), aphis-lions, tiger beetles, water tigers (Fig. 
8) and dragon-flies, names borrowed from their fierce four- 
footed namesakes, are significant of the fierce passions and 
insatiable appetites of their six-footed copyists. 
We were one autumn reminded of the great value of having 
Fig. 7. 
Ant-lion, adult. 
a brood of martins or swallows about the farm and garden, 
when a storm prostrated a martin box, and one of its com- 
Fig. 8. partments was found literally packed 
with the dried remains of the little 
yellow and black squash beetle. The 
great and efficient aid of birds is too 
apparent to be passed over lightly. 
We quote again from the Report of 
the French Commissioners upon this 
subject. “The commission excludes 
birds of prey, such as magpies, ravens, 
etc., with the exception of buzzards 
and rooks, from the benefit of its pro¬ 
tection, because the buzzard consumes 
about six thousand mice yearly. The 
Water Tiger. rooks eat an incalculable amount of 
white worms. Sparrows, once thought harmful as eating 
grain, are restored and their usefulness shown by reference 
18 
