Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1869-04-16
agricultural,
RORIyS INDISPENSABLE TO
THE Primer.
BY THOMAS " BREWER.

OlruS are often really our HVttltsl oth1-
factors Let US take up first for our cor
sideratiOn the Robin. Where will YOU
find, hereabouts, one Noncompliance Of
more generally denounced. than hep Is
he not, by common con ,ent, pronounced
by most of our fruit-growers the pest oil
horticultuIistSs Does he not steal our
cherries. plumber our strawberries, strip
our currant-bushes, pilferO raSpberrieS,
help himself to our choicest grapes, and,
five have some rare Sheparlia berries.
will not The glutton take the whole9 And
does he not, some one else will add.
attack and spoil our handsOmest pears
In reply to the last charge We cannot
respond afirmatiyely. We DO not be-
lieve il, and IL il were true. we would say
10 whoever made this charge My dear
sir, il only serves YOU right. You should
not leave summer pears on Lle tree long
enough to become so soft rs to tempt a
bird 10 pick at them. Your fruit should
have been gathered when so hard that no
bird could modest it, and thus YOU would
have saved your pears and improved their
qualityy~ But we are getting offourtrack,
and will return TO the robin.
With the exception of the pear-accuss-
ton which we believe 20 be boSh, we
admit the truth Of all these charges. but
what then' What do they prove c! Simply
that the worst traits in the character OF
the robin are those which. unfortunately
for his reputation. are the most apparent,
and which arr brought home 70 the notice
Of all who have fruit TO he plundered,
while his beneficial deeds escape the
general observation. The robin Is emf
nently one of those who delight in doing
good BY stealth, but alas, he is very rarely
put to the blush by finding it fame. The
world rs "a general thing. Is but too
prompt to recognize the mi>chiefhe does,
but knows little or nothing Of his good
deeds, far overba.ancing his faults.
fortunately for the reputation of the
robin. careful and faithful friends have
looked into his record. and the result %
their investigation proves him to be an
invaluable friend to the farmer. and
demonstrate by indi>putahlc evidence,
that his services are of an Indispensable
Importance. Nearly eleven years since,
the very same gentleman who this las,
summer ,ignaszcd hi> imperfect kuowI-
edge of birds by protesting against the
European Spargow'S coming "a Boston.
because il was not an iuSect-eatcr, at "a
meetingofthe Massachusetts Horticultural
society introduced a motion IA iayor OF
III present alton Of u petit o. 20 the State
Legislature. in the name OF the Society,
praying Tor the repeal OF all legislation
f,r che protection of the robin. Ater ~
animated discussion. IN which i; WAS
shown tiIs,, the room was not even then
without strong friends, tn Society. IN
stead OF adopting the motion, very wisely
voted - look into the matter before they
thus committed themselves, and referred
the whole subject of the habits of the
robin 70 a select committee, who were
desired 70 make = very thorough investi-
CATION Forum, ,ely ~ the head OF this
committee WAS placed !. ". p. jerks,
ESQ, of Middleboru', an ardent and
zealou, friend of the bird He entered
upon his duties with an slacrity and an
interest. and completed them with a
fidelity and thorouShness that reflect
upon him the highest credit The leisure
hours Of an entire year were devoted by
this gentleman 10 careful and minute
investigation of the subject committed TO
his charge. Day by day, and At AL hours
OF the day. he procured specimens Of the
birds for the purpose of carefully eNamir
inc the contents oftheir several -tomachS.
for evidences Of the general character of
their food. Rohias were thus obtained
10y him, both from the villages and from
the more rural districts apart from
gardens amt orchards, Beginning with
the first week in March. 1888, these
examinations were continued, with mo e
or less frequency. until the same month
Of the succeeding year.
Combining ourselves here to such por-
ton of the results as NAV have direct
bearing upon the points we seek TO
establish, we find that Professor Jenk,
has demonstrated, among other things.
that during The whole Of March. April,
and llay not "a particle OF vegetable
matter of any Kind whatever could he
found in the food OF the robins. Insects.
in large quantities, varying greatly As Ia
kind. condition, and development, We're
during all these months their sole and
exclusive food. The Larvae of fly known
10 naturalists As the bi5i0 al5iPsERiS of
Say, formed a large proportion of the
contents Of their stomachs. Not un-
Frequently as many as two hundred OF
these insects. in this stage of develop
ment. were taken from single bird, and
for the most part wherever any We're
found theywere the only food in the birds
stoiaach-[Atlantic Monthly tor April.