Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-10-02
The Birds Again.


from Prof. Perkins of the Vermont Uni
versity. and though it was not stated to be
for publication, we print it, as it is too
good and valuable to be lost.
In Justice to DR.. HoskinE we might Per-
haps say, we received note from him af-
ter we printed his Comp osition on
Birds" saying the word "hurt " should
have been printed hunt; that the robin
would eat the insects named if caught, but
would not hunt them. We give the doc
tor the benefit of this correction, though
wa believe il has not been made in his
own paper.
BURLINGTON, VT, Sept. 81, rs.
My DEAR SIR 10y my return home l
found on my table copy of the FREEMAN,
with an article on birds, about which
have word to say. You quote from DR..
Hoskins' Composition ON Birds" in
which the writer utterly condemns the
robin. Now it is, l think, quite important
that we shold know just what the truth is
respecting so common an animal rs the
robin. and am very sure that the doctor
is entirely in error as regards this bird,
and | hope he will take another look be-
fore he makes up his mind to destroy so
useful "A visitor: for the robin is useful in
IL very high degree.
DIR. Hoskins says: " Neither does he
touch leaf-rollers nor the tent caterpillars,
nor the cabbage worms nor the potato
bugs, nor will he hurt the cut-worm, nor,
in short, single insect hurtful to vegcta-
ton" Either the doctors eyes must be
growing dim or there must be very sim
sular race of robins in his region. He is
known to eat, rs II part of his regular diet,
the following insects currant worms. bag
worms, rose slug, cabbage worms, May
bug; many kinds of locusts and grasshop-
pers, corn worm, apple-tree borer, cut
worms, canker worms, besides many
others. Earth worms he eats when they
are plenty, but in II dry season they are
not to be had. 1t seems TO me that it
would be very unusual to watch a pair of
robins in the spring, for many minutes,
and not see them catch many insects hurt.
full to vegetation.
| The statements that have often made
in public as to the value of the robin have
not been guesses. l knew of what l
affirmed, but perhaps some other authori-
w may be of value, and will refer to II
few works, all of which are accepted
among ornthologists as authority: Sam
uels, in Birds of New England" pages
1856 and l57, says, speaking of the robin :
.' Perhaps none of our birds are more I'M
popular with horticulturists than this; and
/ will here give the observations of differ
ent scientific men, and my own, to show
that the prejudice is unjust and unfounded.
Mr.. Tronvelat, who is engaged in rearing
silk wolms, is troubled by the robins to a
degree surprising most other birds.
Through the season, probably ten robins
| for one of all others, thus modest him. 10
test the destructiveness of these marauders,
he placed on ii small oak tree two thou
sand of his silk " orms. (These resemble
when small the young caterpillar of the
apple-tree moth.) In u few days they
were all taken by cat-birds and robins.
This WAS in the berry season, when an
abundance of food was easily accessible
but they preferred the worms" Again
q" Caterpilars and grubs of various kinds
and insects constitute the chief food of
these birds" 1.-The cut worms emerge
from the soil during the night to seek for
food; and the robin, which is one OF the
earliest birds to 20 abroad in the morning,
is very dlligent at the dawn OF day in
hunting for these vermin before they have
gone back to tn, ii retreat"
Wilson Flagg says: The fact is. the
robin is almost exclusively inseclivorous,
and uses fruit, as we do, only as dessert,
and not for subsistence, excepI! in winter
when his insect food cannot be obtained
He derives almost his entire support from
insects and grubs. and consumes probably
IL greater variety of species Than any other
bird"
Prof. Treadwell, in the proceedings OF
the Boston Society of Natural History,
says: 1.-The food of the robin while with
us consists principally of worms, various
insects, their larvae and egg, and few
cherries" OF worms and cherries they
can obtain but few, and during but short
period; and they are obliged, therefore, To
subsist principally upon the great DESTROY