Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1859-08-04
Shall the Robin be Destroyed
Interesting Report.


The members of the Massachusetts Hor-
ticultural Society are deserving of much
credit for an Investigation set on foot last
year at their first meeting, January 9.)-
To bring the subject forward forma ily, a
resolution was offered to "authorize the
President, in behalf of the Society. to petit
ton the legislature to repeal such of the
statutes and laws, of tae commonwealth as
punish The taking, the killing, and destroy
ing the bird commonly known as the Robin" !"
An animated discussion took place, and a
committee consisting of Messrs. J. w P.
Jenks. Professor of Zoology; G.. ". Hovey
and E. 8. Rand, r., was appointed to make
a thorough inve,tigation, and report at such
a time as the. might deem advisable. This
committee entered upon their labors with
much interest and zeal, and continued them
through the year. In recent number of
the Journal of the Society, we have the re-
port OF Professor jerks, chairman of the
committee, infull, and condense therefrom
the following outline, which will be found
interesting.
The plan adopted in the investigation
was, First, to obtain birds at daybreok,
midday and sunset: Second, to obtain them
from both village and country: Third, to
preserve in alcohol the contents of each
gizzard.
In accordance with this, specimens were
examined at least weekly, and most OF them
daily from March to December last. and at
several periods during the winter.
The male birds made their appearance
first, early in March, followed by the
females the second week in April. The
eizzards of those killed in the morning
were almost entirely empty, or but slightly
distended with well nacerated food, while
those killed in the latter part of the day
were as uniformly filled with fresh food.
In the almost daily examination of their
gizzards from the early part of March to
the first of May, not particle of vegetable
matter was found in a single bird, insects
in great variety, both as to number and
kind, forming their sole food, a large proper
sect feeding principally upon the roots Of
grass.
During Nav tn e lar,e entirely disappear
ed from the gizzards, being replaced, up to
June 81, by evariety of insects, including
spiders, caterpilars, and beetles, of the
family Elateridae. the parents of the well
known wire-worms so destructive to corn
and various other seeds. The earth-worm
was found to be a favorIte food for the
young robin, but was sparingly employed
BY the adult bird fol its own use.
From June 2lst, strawberries, cherries,
and other Puipy fruit were found, usually
intermingled with inse ects, leading to the
conclusion that the fruit was used for des.
sert during the eneivating season of moult-
ing, as i, was more easily procu ed than
any other food.
This mixed diet of the robin continued
from the ripening of strawberries and cher
ries to October-the vegetable port ION COLI
sistng during August and September,
mainly of elderberries and pokebe.ries.
During October the vegetable diet was
discarded, and grass ho2pers and other
or'hopterous insects supplied its place
E~rly in November the robins mostly
migrate to the south. The few which re-
main, exist during the winter. upon bay
berries (n,yrica cerJera) privet berries
(Igustrum uugare,) and the common juniper
berries.
Prof jerks proposes TO pursue his re-
searches and observation still further; but
from what has already been shown, it is
very evident that the fruit which the robin
takes for his desert can well be spared him
in view of the vast service he renders by
destroying immense quantities of insects
alike injurious to fruit and vegetables
We hope that not only the society above
named, but other like associations will in
stitu,e and continue similar Investigations
respecting other birds.-Amcrican Agricul-
turist, Jane.