The Cecil Whig., 1862-10-25
Aorifuitnral.
From the NeW-Ensland Farmer.I

A few days since l took lesurely
stroll far into the forest, for the express
purpose of Observing the habits of SOME
of our woodland birds. Though 1t was
mid-August, the day was cool, clear and
autumn like. The woods were extern
sive, aud though the larger trees were
chiefly pine, every kind of timber grow
ing in the vicinity abounded there
When l first entered the edge of the
wood, single Wood Pcwee and scar
let Tanager were the only birds visible,
or even hardly within bearing, excepting
bevy of Jays, screaming loudly in the
distance. While | was Watching the
Wood Pcwec, as she darcd upon passing
insects, and anon gave froGuen. u,teran.
COS TO her plainlvc call of pee. e.wee, aud
wondering what might cause the still
brigha red Tanager (thcso birds generally
moult and change their scarlet dress for
one of greenish yellow carly in August
to call SO loudly ch'cken. chick, ch,ck-
TEN, and appear so much irritated, a con-
fiGiug Chckadee aligh cd low ON sap
ling near me, and began eyeing ME with
the usual inquisilve boldness of his spc-
cics. He uttered feebly aud hesitatingly
his wild call-no;e, ps-dce, and was soon
joined by his companions Now, various
species of summer Warblers appeared,
when on came the throng of noisy Jays,
accompanied by a considerable number
Of Baltimore Orioles, which, at this sea-
sou, forage extensively in the woods, as
well as among the trees of the orchard,
a large spotted Woodpecker, several
Nuthatches, Eireous and other BIRDS
The whole formed as numerous and mu-
steal party as one sftcn meets in Il for
est-taking complete possession of the
trees, the twigs and small branches of
which seemed in constant vibration as
they hoped about among them, hunting
insects. | sat down and reckoned up
fully fifteen species that | had seen in
the last ten minutes, some of them
represented by dozen or twenty indi.
viduals.
The Chickadcc, close by mo, 1 several
times saw pulling in pieces ca erplllars
and inch worms, and eating them by
piece the Jays were feeding their
full-grown young with the fruits of their
foraging, apparently chiefly catcrpillars,
the Orioles saw separate the rolled up
leaves on an oak, and draw thcrefrom
and dcvour the hidden larva, and ham
mcr in pieces large catcrpillars prcpara-
tory to swallowing; the Nuthatches we're
running over the stems of the trees,
shivering off the loose scales Of bark to
get at the concealed insects the Wood
pecker was hammcring away on decaycd
limb for borer, and the Warolcrs were
scizing insects flying in the air, as we'll
as those that infested the trees, l re-
manned still in my situation, quite unob-
served by the birds for long time for
it was half hour or more before this
numerous party was all past, in their lei
surely way of foraging and u: no time
during the several hours | remained i'll
the wood, were there no birds visible,
but ON the contrary, several, and many
in hearing, all the while engaged in hunt
ing and dcvouring caterpillars and her
larva infcsting the forest trees, and ma
ture insects.
AT this season it is not uncommon to
mcc: with par les like this i'll our woods,
particularly little later, when the fall
migration Of the little Warblers, that
spend the breeding season more north.
wardly, occurs, when parties of several
scores, aud even hundreds are constantly
hunting the wood, and the quaint les of
very many species of destructive insects
they deyour must be indeed immense.
they being ac lively engaged almost the
whole day long.
Indeed, the number of insects one bird
destroys in a single day is surprising -
Birds require, in fact, large amount of
food their digestion is rapid, their
blood of a high temperature, and their
muscular exertion great, being at lcas,
species, almost constantly in notion
Let any one. who is at all skeptical re-
specting the probable correctness of the
estimates commonly made Of the immense
number of insecs destroyed by. birds, 20
ino the woods and silently watch the
birds in their unrcstraincd freedom, and
base his eslma ions on what he himself
secs. If still doubtful, let him shoot a
few birds--only a few --und inspect the
contents of their stomachs, examine wha.
there remains of perhaps hundreds OF
partially diges.ed insects generally Of
many species, and then give us his opin-
ions and estinlatiens. But some may
say, birds are not all day thus engaged
dcs roytng insects !; observation, how
ever, shows that there are but few peri
DDS during the day, and those of short
duration, when truely insec:iverous birds
are in state Of rest. Having of late
spent much time in the woods prosecu-
ting my favorie study-the natural his
tory of our native birds-l am the more
forcib'y struck with the immensely Of the
destrac ion Of insect life by the birds,
the ma ural, prc-ordaiucd checks upon
the numbers Of the rapidly increasing
insect mvriads.
Having occasion to prepare some spe-
cimens for the cabinet, have dissected
many individuals for the purpose of in-
vestiga ing their regimen, and had de-
signed to present a minute account Of
the result here !; but am already get
ting too leng by, and will present only
general details. OF ten species, takeu
without selection, buc by chance, mostly
| in the woods. in only one. did [ find a