Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-22
SOUTH CAROLINA
NATURAL HISTORY
BY JAMES HENRY RICE, Jr.,
Copyright 1921 by Jas. D. Grist.)
The .RORIN.

] HE .HO6lN.
The Robin belongs to the Thrush
family, of which the Brown Thrashcr,
the Mockingbird, the = Catbird. the
Bluebird, the Hermit Thrush and the
Wood Thrush are familiar examples.
This family Is known to sicence rs
! the Turddaen. from the Latin word,
Turdus, a thrush. The name Of the
| genus. is Planesticus, which means
ground feeder, and the name Of the
species is Mirgattorius, meaning
migratory. The full name OF the
Robin would then be PIancsticus mi
gratorius sniisratorius, the last name
being repeated because: this bird is
the type or head Of the family.
These scientific names are ncces-
sary: for there arc many robins. and
at least one moro species in the south.
this being called Plancsticus migrator-
! ius archrastcrus, or pale-colorcd
! OackinE the cinnamon-rufous Of the
brcast). 1t is we'll to become familiar
with the scientific names They arc
exact, referring always TO one bird and
but one. and the name is ineligible
everywhere.
Comes South in October.
The Robins come south in October,
but they are not much in evidence
before February, because AT first they
seek the swamps, feeding on black
gum and tupclo berries, on gallbcrries
| in the low country, China-berries
! (Pridc OF 1ndia) or mock orange bcr-
rics AS this food becomes scarce
they seek the towns and the settle
| ments. Some winters this food lasts
longer than common and this fact cX-
plains why Robins are scarce during
rccrtain years.
In an analysis Of over three hun
dred stomachs Of Robins the Biological
Survey at Washington found that
nearly forty-four per cent. OF the food
consisted of insect diet, and about the
same Of wild fruit. The insects taken
! consisted Of beetles and their larvae,
| particularly the Lachnostcrna beetles,
whose larvae arc the white gruhs, so
destructive to grass and corn roots,
and Noctuid moths larvae, dreaded
everywhere, for they are the cut
| worms" which remain in the soil two
years, doing untold damage. The
damage done by "cutworms" = in the
United States has been estimated by
a high authority as running into hun
drcds OF millions of dollars annually.
Robins eat many other harmful in
sccts and take them in great ulrnti-
ties. They destroy an impressive lot
of grasshoppers and crickets, the most
injurious of all insects; for the grass
hopper is no less than the locust Of
history. whose visitations have so
often spelled ruin to whole countries
A Harmless Bird.
During his winter stay in the south
the Robin does no damage ut all, fof
there is no cultivated fruit for him
to molcst At the north the Robin is
Il song bird and there takes toll Of
cherries, strawberric sand other fruits.
Formerly Robins were slaughtered
each winter in every southern state
the number in Louisiana being report
cd at a quarter Of q million annually.
Such general slaughter has been
stopped by law, backed by public opin
ion.
The Robin breeds from Sock inlet
in Alaska, clear across Canada to the
Atlantic and southwark TO the ALE
@hcny mountains, in North Carolina:
but they. do not extend westward be-
yond Tho Rocky mountains. in tho
United States. Five eggs arc laid.
usually blue and unspottted: rarely
the eggs are spotted with brown. The
nest is a cup Of mud or clay, sur
rounded by heavy sticks. hair and
grasses. They lay by preference in
orchards or near dwellings, some
times in vines on the portico of Il
dwelling.
Several Species.
The Southern Robin {achrusterus)
nests as far south as Chester county.
perhaps even lower. and extends into
The hill regions Of north GcorEia.
They are similar in habits and closely
resemble the other. species in color.
Wayne says he can see no difference.
The northern limit Of the breeding
ground of this species is southern
Illinois.
Robins arc the fricntlicst Of birds
and will come close up to persons.
once they recognize that no harm is
intended To them. They follow the
plOw in spring and ut this r;SOn
! clean the fields Of many noXioiIs in
ScctS.
They sometimes get intoxicated
with the juice Of China -hcrrics and
fall TO the ground. where they may DC
picked up Robins arc typical Ameri-
can birds. lend beauty and grace To
the landscape and should receive the
protection they merit.