258 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



\i ,.( 3T 1 t, 1915. 



\ . ry l>;ul poli > diminution of ts 



numbers. 



Another valuable ii found in 



most of the smaller West Indian islands in 

 sp. Ii isknownin Barbadosas 'rain-bird', in Antigua is 

 'loggerhead', and in the Virgin Islands as 'chichen 

 There is some groundfor believing thai the species of 

 the Northern [stands is different tbtheonein Barbados, 

 being a bolder and somewhal stouter bird. This bird 

 lives exclusivelj on insects, taking them chiefly on thi 

 wing all dav long, even up to late dusk. A further 

 ixample of a useful group of birds are thi wood- 

 peckers, common in Trinidad and' elsewhere. It may 

 be noted, however, that in Trinidad birds, as a whole 

 no! considered to play an impdftanl part in keeping 

 down insect pi sts. 



It is a pity that laws oannoj protect some turds 

 from other enemies than men. The introduction oi 

 the East Indian mongoose into many of the Wesl 

 Indian islands, in order to destroy the rats which 



infested the Cane-fields, has led in seme of the smaller 



islands to the extermination of some of the most useful 

 birds. 



Tne 'tick-bird' of Jamaica, Crotophaga An', known 

 in the Leeward and Windward Islands as 'black witch', 

 is most useful to stock tanners, lis chief food :on- 

 bs of the t irks which are such. a pest on beasts in 

 these islands. The mongoose has exterminated it 

 from Antigua, and nearly done the same in St. Croix", 

 and subsequently, if not consequently, the plague of 

 ticks en cattle has immensely increased. 



Another case of extermination by the mongoose 

 is that of the quail, Ortyx virginiamis. This bird, 

 like most of the grallatores, feeds not only on insects, 

 but also on small seeds, and is therefore an example of 

 another wa) in which birds help man's agriculture by 

 consuming great quantities of seeds of weeds. The 

 numerous flocks of quail formerly met with in Antigua 

 and St. Croix are no longer to be seen. 



In many of the islands the little ground dove, 

 ■Clm in if pelia pasterina, which performs the same 

 useful function of eating the seeds of weeds, has had 

 its numbers much decreased li) the mongoose, which 

 1- able to get at the eggs of this and the two last 

 mentioned species on accounl oi then- halm oi nesting 

 •either on or near to the ground. 



The domestication of birds is of importance with 



regard to their relationships with mankind. The 

 iarmyard birds, from turkeys to pigeons, are worth 



(Fording a nutritious and dainty supply 

 of flesh food. Eggs, as everyone knows, may be made 

 the basis of nutritSenl tor human beings -rear 

 advances have been made ofrecenl years in improving 

 the fertility of the egg-laying bird-servants ,,f men. 

 Besides this use, a So 4 of fowls or turkeys on an 1 state 

 helps to keep down insect pests. It is astonishing how 

 many insects one of the domestic birds will devour, if 

 given a five run. in the course of twenty-four hours. 



Aquatic domesticated birds, like the duck, are 

 30 valuable in tropical countries for the manner in 

 which they help to keep down mosquitoes. When 

 a duck is dabbling in water no mosquito larva that, 

 comes within the strainers at the edge of its lull 

 escapes. 



Considering the number of species of birds it is 



rather surprising i hat so teu tiavi been domesticated. 

 Prom time to time there i> an attempt made to add In 

 this number. Possibly the cultivation of the ostrich, for 

 the sake of shearing him ofhis ornamental plumes, is the 

 most conspicuous success in this direction in modern 

 times. Recently, however, success has attended the rear- 

 ing of the egret, or white heron, in captivity, for the same 

 object. Perhaps there is an opening for enterprise in 

 this direction as bo other birds, now wild in the tropics, 

 sought for, and too indiscrnninalolv killed for the sake 

 of their plumage. 



.Modern scientific men who are, on Mendelian 

 lines, trying to solve'the problems of heredity, and the 

 transmission of characteristics from generation to 

 generation, find their most useful assistants in the 



domestic birds, especially th -dinary farmyard fowl. 



Their fertility, and the comparatively short interval 

 between generations make them easy subjects lor study 

 on these lines. The future will probably show a still 

 greater appreciation of the debt mankind owes to our 

 feathered allies.* 



SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



BRITISH CANE SUGAR. 



[a discussing the sugar situation in this Journal at the 

 beginning of the present year, a suggestion was put forward 

 ■ Agricultural. News tor February 13, 1915, p, 50) 

 that each Department of Agriculture in the big undeveloped 

 colonial possessions of the jSmpire, should forward to a central 

 office a report on the prospects before an extension oi cane- 

 growing in each colony, respectively. It 1^ now satisfactory to 

 ble to state, that during 'lie last -i\ months the Wot India 

 Committee has taken the matter up with considerable ener( 



♦For further information on West Indian birds see IFest 

 Indian Bulletin, Vols. HI, IV, and V. 



