Joint Convention. 217 



our trees and growing crops. Are we aware of the destruction 

 that occurs from insects, that may be largely saved by protecting 

 the birds common to our locality? It is estimated that in a sin- 

 gle year the loss of cereals in the United States from insects 

 has been as high as four hundred million dollars; seventy-three 

 million in a single year in Illinois alone. The amount destroyed 

 by insects in the United States is more than double of all that 

 we export in a year of grain. The effect of this loss is felt not 

 alone by the farmer, but by those who labor, and by the manu- 

 facturer, whose ability to compete with the world in the produc- 

 tion of manufactured goods depends upon the cheapness of 

 subsistence for the labor he employs. 



When we consider the enormous quantity of insects that birds 

 destroy, we can, in some degree at least, form an estimate of their 

 value; for instance, it has been ascertained by careful observation 

 that our birds subsist on insects three hundred and five days of 

 the year; that there are sixty days when fruits are abundant that 

 they live more upon fruits than insects. It is estimated that a 

 single pair of sparrows will destroy six thousand three hundred 

 caterpillars in a week. The warblers are entirely insectivorous, 

 and we can certainly allow them as great a destructive capacity 

 as the sparrows; by sparrows we refer to our American varieties, 

 not to Passer Domesticus or English sparrow, which has now 

 become so thoroughly naturalized. There is a question whether 

 they ought not to be ostracized from the society of birds, as their 

 pugnacious habits, and rapid increase, tend to drive out other 

 varieties of birds more valuable and much more beautiful thaa 

 they. The American Naturalist for February, in an article 

 written by Dr. Elliot Coues upon the English sparrow, entitled 

 the Sparrow Pest in Australia, says: " 1st. That the sparrow is 

 established over an immense area in South Australia. 2d. That 

 sufterers in such area 'cry for relief from sparrow dej^redations 

 as if from a pest.' 3d. That the sparrows are increasing at an 

 astonishing and alarming rate, their work being 'done under 

 conditions despairing to the cultivator, and under conditions 

 that he cannot control; for the seed is taken out of the ground, 

 the fruit-bud oft' the tree, the sprouting vegetable as fast as it 



