The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1897-09-02

The professor says that cuckoos are
much given to eating caterpil lars, and
DO not object to their hair, as many
birds do. On the contrary cuckoos eat
50; many hairy caterpillars that the
hairs pierce the inner Innings Of their
stomachs; and when they are opened
ind turned inside out, the cuckoo stom-
achs seem to- be lined with a thin coat
ing Of fur, which appears to be q part Of
the stomach itself. Nature provides for
continued digestion, just the same.
While the scientific slaughter Of
cuckoos wassgotng on, 16 Of the birds
were examined, and the result shows
that they had all been diligently en-
gagged in helping the farmers of their
ighborhood. The 16 stomachs showed
the remains of 1928 caterpillars, II
beetles. is grasshoppers, 63 saw flies,
four spiders, and three stink bugs.
Those were Industrious birds, and they
were doing their best for their farmer
friends, when they were ruthlessly shot
down for scientific investigation. just
think of it! There were 1913 caterpillars,
many Of them in the larva stage. But
fo1 those cuckoos all of those caterpil-
lars would have been working on. the
leaves@of trees; and they prefer apple
trees. OF the 63 saw flies, 60 were in
the larva stage.
Investigation demonstrates that
fal mers should do their best to culti-
| waite woodpeckers. They leave no marks
on healthy trees. On the contrary they
unerringly trail down the wood-boring
larva, and dislodge and devour them.
It is picnic for woodpecker to catch
these tree killers. They eat them with
as much satisfaction and qualification
as summer girl manifests over dist,
Of ice cream. 1t usually happens that
after these wondering larva are de-
stroyed, the holes are filled with col
ories of ants. Do the woodpeckers
leave them to thrive there? Not much,
they like ants pretty well, too; and
they watch those holes carefully, we'll
knowing that they will have an epicu-
rean festival of ants after little while;
and consequently they keep the trees
clean all the time. It is their business
and pleasure 10 do so. Two flicker
woodpeckers' stomachs were examined
III the laboratory, and they each con-
tanned 5000 ants, besides the wood-bor-
ing larva. Those were good wood
Lockers, and ought to have been KEEP.
and cultivated by the farmers firesides
as near neighbors and close friends.
The official bulletin has good word
also for the red-headed woodpecker.
1t is admitted that this bird is guilty
of tapping trees and drinking the sap.
1t has been discovered, however, that
very few trees are seriously injured;
although some have died within a year
or two, after being Slapped by these
red-headed fellows. The professor
says, however, that 1.-The bird captures
millions of insects which are attracted
by the sweet sap, and the tree tapping
is largely for the purpose of catching
insects. It is probable that the red
head fully compensates for the damage
done by sapsucking, in consuming SO
many insects
The kingbird comes in for word OF
praise. He is distinctly fly catcher
and takes large portion of his food on
the wing. The kingbird also watches
the trees closely, and gathers in all
sorts of insects. This bird has been
suspected of catching honey bees; but
an Iowa farmer says that he shot a
dozen kingbirds near his hives, and
found not single bee in any one OF
their stomachs. Therefore he con.
cludes that the kingbird is guiltless OF