729. Sitta pusilla Lath.—BROWN-HEADED NUTHATCH.

Sioux county, Feb. 26, 1896, "a single specimen of a nuthatch with brown head seen but not obtained" (L. Skow).

730. Sitta pygmæa Vig.--PYGMY NUTHATCH.

Niobrara river in northern Nebraska (Aughey); Child’s Point, Douglas county (L. Skow); Omaha, "a rare resident, breeds" (I. S. Trostler).

731. Parus bicolor Linn.—TUFTED TITMOUSE.

West Point, Omaha, Lincoln, Rulo, etc. (L. Bruner); "Abundant in eastern Nebraska" (Aughey); "Common in May and June, probably a constant resident" (Taylor); "north to New Jersey and southern Nebraska" (Goss); Peru, rare—may breed (G. ,A. Coleman); Omaha, "a rare resident, seen only in wilder parts" (L S. Trostler); Rulo, April 18 (D. A. Haggard).

735. Parus atricapillus Linn.--BLACK-CAPPED TITMOUSE.

Omaha, Lincoln (L. Bruner); Lincoln (W. D. Hunter); "Resident, common" (Taylor); "west to the edge of the Great Plains" (Goss); De Witt (A. S. Pearse); Ft. Robinson, Sioux county, Dec. 13, 1895 (L. Bruner); Omaha— breeds (L Skow); Cherry county—breeds (J. M. Bates); Gage county—breeds (F. A. Colby); "an abundant resident, breeds April 22 to May25" (I. S. Trostler).

735a. Parus atricapillus septentrionalis (Harris).—LONG-TAILED CHICKADEE.

West Point, Tekamah, Sioux county, Lincoln—breeds (L. Bruner); Very abundant in eastern Nebraska" (Aughey); "Resident, common" (Taylor);"east to eastern Kansas and Manitoba" (Goss); Ft. Robinson, Sioux county, Dec. 13, 1895 (L Bruner); Omaha—breeds (L. Skow); Cherry county—breeds (J. M. Bates); "a not rare resident, commoner in winter" (I. S. Trostler); Sioux county, Feb. 19 to 27, common (W. D. Hunter, L. Skow); Lincoln, March 3 (D. A. Haggard).

738. Parus gambeli Ridgw.—MOUNTAIN CHICKADEE.

"Mentioned by Baird as collected in August" (Taylor).

740. Parus hudsonicus Forst.—HUDSONIAN CHICKADEE.

On Dec. 13, 1895, a bird was seen by me about nine miles northwest of Ft. Robinson that was probably this species. (L. Bruner).

FAMILY SYLVIIDÆ,—WARBLERS, KINGLETS, GNATCATCHERS.

748. Regulus satrapa Licht.—GOLDEN-CROWNED KINGLET.

West Point (L. Bruner); Lincoln (W. D. Hunter); "Abundant during some years in northern Nebraska" (Aughey); "eastern and northern North America" (Goss); Omaha (L. Skow); Omaha, "a quite common winter resident, arrives Oct. 1 to 15, departs March 5 to 20" (I. S. Trostler); Long Pine, April 9, 1896 (J. M. Bates).

749. Regulus calendula (Linn.).—RUBY-CROWNED KINGLET.

West Point, Lincoln, Omaha (L. Bruner); "Only occasionally met with in Nebraska" (Aughey); "Migratory, rare, arrive in April and May" (Taylor); "North America" (Goss); Omaha (L. Skow); Peru, common migrant (G. A. Coleman): Omaha, "a not rare winter resident—dates same as preceding species" (I. S. Trostler).

751. Polioptila cærulea (Linn.).—BLUE-GRAY GNATCATCHER.

West Point (L. Bruner); eastern Nebraska (Aughey); "Has been seen in April and June, probably breeds in the state" (Taylor); United States, chiefly south of 42°" (Goss); Peru, common—probably breeds (G. A. Coleman); "a rare summer resident, two were seen Sept. 10, 1895, in north part of Sarpy county" (I. S. Trostler).

FAMILY TURDIDÆ.—THRUSHES, SOLITAIRES, BLUEBIRDS, ETC.

The thrushes are all beneficial as insect destroyers, and might be well compared with the Robin, which is described quite fully beyond, only they are even less liable to commit injuries to fruits.

754. Myadestes townsendii (Aud.).—TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE.

Niobrara river (Aughey); Alda (Powell); southeastern Nebraska (Hall); "east to Dakota and Texas" (Goss); Sioux county, Feb. 19, 1896 (L. Skow).

755. Turdus mustelinus Gmel.—WOOD THRUSH.

West Point, Omaha, Lincoln, Bellevue (L. Bruner); "Abundant in all the woodlands of eastern Nebraska" (Aughey); "Summer resident, abundant, arrives the first of May, and has been found as late as October" (Taylor); "north to Massachusetts, Ontario, Wisconsin, and eastern Dakota" (Goss); Beatrice (A. S. Pearse); Omaha—breeds (L. Skow); Peru, common—breeds (G. A. Coleman); Gage county—breeds (F. A. Colby); "a quite common summer resident—breeds" (I. S. Trostler).

756. Turdus fuscescens Steph.—WILSON’S THRUSH.

West Point, Omaha (L. Bruner); "Occasionally in Nebraska, especially in the southeastern part of the state" (Aughey); "Migratory, rare, arrive the first of May" (Taylor); "west to the plains" (Goss); "a rare summer resident, a pair seen in East Omaha, in thicket, May 22, 1894, where they probably bred" (I. S. Trostler).

757. Turdus aliciæ Baird.—GRAY-CHEEKED THRUSH.

"Migratory, rare, arrive in May" (Taylor); "eastern and northern North America, west to the Rocky mountains" (Goss); "west to the plains (A. 0. U. Check List).

758a. Turdus ustulatus swainsonii (Caban.).—OLIVE-BACKED THRUSH.

West Point, Omaha, Lincoln (L. Bruner); "Abundant in eastern Nebraska" (Aughey); "Migratory, common, arrive in May" (Taylor); "west to and including the Rocky mountains" (Goss); Omaha (L. Skow); Valentine and Long Pine (J. M. Bates); "migratory, rare, one flock and well observed Sept. 16, 1895, near Papillion" (I. S. Trostler).

759b. Turdus aonalaschkæ pallasii (Caban.). — HERMIT THRUSH.

West Point, Omaha, Lincoln (L. Bruner); Alda—breeds (Bull. No. 2, Div. Ornith.); "Have seen a few of this species in eastern Nebraska" (Aughey); "west casually to the Great Plains" (Goss); Fairbury (M. L. Eaton); Omaha (L. Skow).

761. Merula migratoria (Linn.).—AMERICAN ROBIN.

All of Nebraska—breeds (L. Bruner); "Resident, abundant" (Taylor); "Not abundant in Nebraska, but slowly increasing" (Aughey); "Northern and eastern North America" (Goss); Beatrice, De Witt—breeding (A. S. Pearse); Beatrice, De Witt—nesting (A. S. Pearse, F. A. Colby); Omaha— breeds (L. Skow); Peru, common—breeds (G. A. Coleman); Cherry county— breeds and sometimes winters (J. M. Bates); Gage county—breeds (F. A. Colby); "an abundant resident except in coldest winters, breeds April 23 to June 20" (I. S. Trostler).

The Robin has certainly been accused often enough of being a firstclass rascal to warrant the belief that there must be at least some grounds for such accusations being made.

In his examination of 114 stomachs of this bird, taken during ten months of the year, Professor Forbes, of Illinois, found the contents to consist of 65 per cent insects and 34 per cent of fruits and seeds.

In the estimates of these food percentages taken by the Robin, as well as by other birds, bulk for bulk is taken, i. e., a quart of caterpillars or other insects is equivalent to a quart of cherries or a quart of berries.

Professor Forbes asks this question: "Will the destruction of seventeen quarts of average caterpillars, including at least eight quarts of cut-worms, pay for twenty-four quarts of cherries, blackberriess, currants, and grapes?" and then answers it in these words: "To this question I, for my own part, can only reply that I do not believe that the horticulturist can sell his small fruits anywhere in the ordinary markets of the world at so high a price as to the Robin, provided that he uses proper diligence that the little huckster doesn’t overreach him in the bargain."

Much more might be said in favor of this bird had I the time and space at my command.

761a. Merula migratoria propinqua Ridgw.--WESTERN ROBIN.

"Western United States, north to British Columbia, east to the eastern edge of the Great Plains" (Goss)

766. Sialia sialis (Linn.).—BLUEBIRD.

West Point, Omaha, Lincoln, etc.—breeds (L. Bruner); "Resident, abundant" (Taylor); "Abundant in Nebraska" (Aughey); "west to base of Rocky mountains" (Goss); Beatrice, De Witt (A. S. Pearse); Omaha—breeds (L. Skow); Peru —breeds (G. A. Coleman); Cherry county (J. M. Bates); Gage county—breeds (F. A. Colby); "a common summer resident, breeds May 1 to July 13, departs Sept. 20 to Oct. 15" (I. S. Trostler); Lincoln, March 23 (D. A. Haggard).

767. Sialia mexicana occidentalis (Towns.).--WESTERN BLUEBIRD.

"Once on the Niobrara" (Aughey);

768. Sialia arctica Swains.--ROCKY MOUNTAIN BLUEBIRD.

Sioux county, Dawes county—breeds, Sidney, Pine Bluffs (L. Bruner); Western Nebraska (Aughey, Baird); "east into Dakota and Texas" (Goss).¹