94 DRAGON FLIES YS. MOSQUITOES. 



ONE WORD AS TO THE BIRDS. 



Instead of devising methods to artificially breed dis- 

 proportionate numbers of insectivorous insects, why is it 

 not much more advisable to foster and preserve Math little 

 expense the means which we have at hand? I refer to the 

 various species of insectivorous birds, which used to re- 

 main with us throughout the year, with the exception of 

 two or three of the colder months, the most short lived of 

 which would be more eifective in the destruction (f nox- 

 ious insects than ten thousand dragon flies. Not a Sun- 

 day passes in the woods and fields adjacent to our cities 

 but dissolute bovs and men are maiming, killino;, or 

 frightening away every innocent bird within the range of 

 their guns. If the farmer be so blind to his own inter- 

 ests that he will not assist in the enforcement of laws for 

 the protection of song birds, and the consequent preserva- 

 tion of his crops, at least there should be aroused a public 

 sentiment demanding the adoption of a more competent 

 law than prevails at present. 



It is simply absurd to provide, as the statute now reads, 

 that the destruction of birds should be permitted to every 

 collector or so called scientist. Our local birds are well 

 known, their habits and peculiarities have been described 

 hundreds of times, specimens are to be found in every 

 museum, where they can be readily inspected, and there is 

 not the slightest necessity for the satisfaction of the thirst 

 of acquisition of every tyro in making a collection of 

 either local birds or their eggs, or of swelling the stock in 

 trade of the taxidermist or milliner. As a matter of fact, 

 this wholesale and criminal destruction of birds has made 

 them so scarce that an observation of tiieir natural habits 

 by the general public is an impossibility. A law should 



