18 Trans. Acad. Sci. of St. Louis. 



and propagates enemies of the existing fauna not known before. 

 Tiie cat and the dog are responsible for the kilhng of many of 

 our choicest pets, which Uke the Bluebirds confidingly seek our 

 protection to be sadly disappointed by loosing their young ones 

 to the cat as soon as they leave the nest. Some dogs are as bad 

 as cats in destroying the broods of birds nesting on the ground. 

 Besides the cat an(l the dog the hog does the greatest harm to 

 birds which habitually make their nests on or near the ground. 

 In parts of our state where the only woodpatch left standing is 

 given to pasturing swine, no ground nester can long survive, and 

 we find these species now entirely wanting in localities where 

 they used to be common. Cattle, horses and sheep invohmtarily 

 inflict losses on birds frequenting their pastures by trampling on 

 their nests or disturbing them in the act of incubating. There 

 are still other ways of destruction unavoidably connected with 

 the tilling or burning over of land at a time when some birds have 

 already nested on the ground and those which escape the fire 

 and the plow may be demolished by the scythe or mower later on. 

 It is easy to see why birds must become scarcer and scarcer, and 

 that it will require all the protection man is able to give to keep 

 them from a lamentable state of rarity. 



VIII. BIRD PROTECTION. 



It would be wrong to understand by bird protection simply 

 the restraint from killing them. We have to actively assist 

 •them in the battle against adversities. It is not yet too late to 

 save remnants of original forests from destruction ; men of means, 

 corporations, or associations of men, should establish such bird 

 reserves in all parts of the state wherever forests remain. All 

 that is required is a strong fence and a guard to keep out the dog 

 and the hog, the cattle and the cat, the axe and the fire, and all 

 other bird enemies, and allow only those persons to enter who 

 appreciate the rare privilege. 



Land owners and their tenants should be more sparing with 

 axe and fire than they are now; before removing trees, stumps, 

 vines, thickets and hedges they should consider whether it would 

 not be possible to leave them for the birds, especially trees which 

 have already served them for a home. Some birds, and among 

 them the most useful ones, habitually nest in holes in trees; 

 such birds can be helped by setting up bird boxes in trees or on 

 poles in suitable places about the garden, park or orchard. 



