SMli-'Rary' 



THE OTTAWA NATURALIST* v 



XXVII. March, 1914 No. 12 



THE PROTECTION OF BIRDS IN AND AROUND 



OTTAWA* 



By C. Gordon Hewitt, D.Sc, F.R.S.C. 

 Dominion Entomologist, Ottawa. 



It is the purpose of this address to discuss, first, the gen- 

 eral question of the protection of birds and the reasons why. this 

 is necessary; secondly, the economic value of certain common 

 birds which we desire to protect; and thirdly, a proposal for the 

 protection of the native birds around Ottawa. 



The motives behind the widespread and increasing move- 

 ment respecting the protection of our native birds may be includ- 

 ed in two classes, namely, sentimental and practical. Most people, 

 even in this material age, are sensible of feelings of affection 

 towards our birds and are delighted when the return of 

 the first spring migrants announces the termination of our long 

 birdless winter. But the practical considerations underlying 

 the movement are not so generally appreciated and for that reason 

 aesthetic feelings will be assumed and the practical motives dis- 

 cussed.. 



Few people realize the place of insect pests in the general 

 economy of life, but when it is understood. that were it not for 

 their controlling factors insects would in a few years destrov 

 every form of vegetation, and consequently all animal life on the 

 face of the globe, the significance of such controlling factors will 

 be appreciated. In the United States it is estimated on a con- 

 servative basis that the annual loss on agricultureal and forest pro- 

 ducts is about eight hundred million dollars ($800,000,000). 

 I have estimated that in Canada, on our field crops alone, the 

 minimum annual loss due to injurious insects cannot be less than 

 fiftv million dollars ; this does not take into account the enormous 

 aggregate cost of controlling insect pests. And yet the most 

 valuable insecticidal agencies we have are not only not en- 

 couraged but in many cases ruthlessly destroyed. Such a short- 

 sighted and wasteful policy cannot and must not be continued, 



Abstract of an illustrated ' ered before the Ottawa Field-Naturalists' Club, 



10th February, 1914. 



