165 TRANSACTIONS 01^ THE iLLtNOtS 



of philosoi)hy, and a severe draw upon my better nature to resist the 

 temptation to commence a deadly war of extermination ai^ainst them. At 

 such a time we are hardly willing to reflect that the birds which become 

 such destructive pests to the fruit growers' industry in the latter part of 

 the season, on their /irs/ arrival, in the early si)ring, subsist almost wholly 

 on insects which might, if they were permitted to live, do as much inju- 

 ry to the crops as we charge the birds with doing. 



We have a large number of birds visit us here in this locality during 

 the summer. I cannot say how many, but trying to entimerate them a 

 short time ago, I made out the following list, some of the names embrac- 

 ing several varieties : 



Woodpeckers, Blackbirds, 



Creepers, Bob-o-link, 



Thrush, Mocking-bird, 



Bullfinch, Blue-bird, 



Pewee, Titmouse, 



Wren, Wax-wing, 



Robin, Swallows, 



Cat-bird, Martins, 



Shrike, Oriole, 



Red-bird, Blue-jay, 



Quail, Yellow-hammer. 



Meadow-lark, 



Swallows are supposed to feed on gnats and flies almost exclusively, 

 but they sometimes feed on other insects and small beetles. M. de Buf- 

 fon tells the following interesting anecdote about this bird, which may 

 not be out of place here, as it illustrates its uniform habits : A shoemaker 

 in Basle, (France) put a collar on a swallow containing an inscription 

 to this purport : 



" Pretty swallow, tell me, whither goest thou in winter ?" 



and in the ensuing spring he received by the same courier the following 

 answer : 



" To Anthony, at Athens ; — Why dost thou enquire?" 



Theory and speculation and sentiment may be entertaining for the 

 moment, but it is real practical knowledge or information that we want ; 

 and this can only be obtained by careful observation, not only for a sea- 

 son, but continued through the seasons. The birds want a just, intelli- 

 gent and kind-hearted judge to hear evidence through a series of years; 

 to open a business account with them, giving them credit in the early 

 part of the season for their cheering songs, which come to us, as Thom- 

 son beautifully says of the lark (although it was not one of our birds, 

 yet the sentiment was universal): 



" Shrill-voiced and loud, the messenger of morn ; 

 Ere yet the shadows fly, he, mounted, sings 

 Amid the dawning clouds, and from their haunt* 

 Calls up the tuneful nations." 



