The searchlight., 1911-08-11

tBy w. T. M'ATEE. Assistant. biological
Survey. United States Department
of Agricuiture)
Seven kinds of finches, commonly
known as grosbeaks. summer within
our boundaries. The majority OF these
are good friends of the farmer, and de-
serve to be widely known In order
that their sersices may be appreciated.
The grosbeaks are easily distinguished
from other finches by their stout form.
bright plumage. massive bills. and
melodious voices. Two Of them live
mainly In cold mountainous areas. and
having little to do with farms or with
the Insects that prey on crops. may
be dismissed without further notice.
The other FIVE live largely in agricul-
tural regions and secure most OF their
food about cultivated lands. All OF
them feed to some extent upon crops.
but only one does appreciable harm.
On the other hand, all perform inval.
liable service In destroying certain OF
our worst insect pests.
The rosebreast has an extensive
range, breeding In Kansas and the
mountains OF Tennessee north to New
foundland and the Great Slave lake
region. II eats some green peas. and
Is charged with injuring orchards.
both by budding and by eating the
fruit. Our Investigations lend no sup
port to the latter accusation. and. al
though the birds eat peas. they invari-
ably consume enough injurious insects
to more than offset the damage.
The rosebreast has long been held
In high esteem because OF Its habit OF
/ preying upon the Colorado potato
beetle, and the name potato-bug bird
suggests its important services In
| this direction. Larvae. rs well as
adult beetles. are consumed, and
great many are fed to nestlings. No
less than a tenth OF the total food OF
the rosebreast examined consists OF
potato beetles-evidence that the bird
Is one Of the most important enemies
| OF the pest. Its services In devouring
other exceedingly harmful insects are
scarcely less valuable. II vigorously
attacks cucumber beetles and many OF
the scale insects. II proved an act
tive enemy Of the Rocky Mountain 10
Gust during that insects ruinous In
vasion, and among the other pests II
consumes are the spring and fall can
kerworms, orchard and forest tent
caterpillars. tussock. gypsy. and brown
tail moths, plum curculio. army worm
and chinch bug. In fact. not one OF our
birds has a better record. The rose
breast attacks the worst enemies oi
agriculture. making them It's fayorits
prey. and time after time II has ren
dered valuable aid In checking theft
destructive infestations.
The black-headed grosbeak ranges
from Southern Mexico to British Co
lumbia, North Dakota, and Nebraska
Il flls the same place In the west that
the rosebreast does In the east. and
economically Is fully as important
In parts OF its range II Is destructive
to early fruit and attacks also greer
peas and beans. However. since b.
proper precautions such losses may b
mlnimized or altogether prevented
they should not be given too mucl
weight in estimating the value Of thu
bird. Instead Of being regarded a
An enemy by western orchardists. tn,
blackhead should be esteemed as |,
friend, since 1t is a foe to the wors
pests of horticulture-the scale In
sects-which compose fourth OF IL
food. The black olive scale alone cor
stitutes a Nth Of the birds subsis,
ence. and the frosted scale and apr
cot scale. or European fruit Lecaniuu
also are destroyed In May consider
able numbers of cankerworms and coo
ling moths are eaten. and almost
sixth q the birds seasonal food cor
sists Of flower beetles. which do inca
eulabls damage to cultivated aowsF