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moths which produce them, so we can easily imagine what the result would be to 

 the crops if these creatures were allowed to increase unmolested by their natural 

 enemies; so prolific are they, that I believe the increase of one season would pro- 

 vide a sufficient number to clear off all the crops we cultivate. 



A constant war is being carried on between the insect world and the vegetable 

 kingdom. The laws of nature would keep the balance about evenly adjusted. But 

 man requires that it should be inclined in favour of the plants he cultivates for his 

 own use. To obtain this end it is necessary that we should carefully protect and 

 encourage all the forces that will work on our side against our insect enemies, and 

 while they are not the only ones, yet the birds are the most important allies we can 

 have in the struggle. We cannot very well increase their number or efficiency by 

 any artificial means, but we can protect them from such of their natural enemies 

 as occur in our own neighborhood, and v^e can encourage them to remain and breed 

 about our farms and gardens. If this was done over the country generally we should 

 find ourselves amply repaid for the small amount of trouble expended, by the pro- 

 tection they would give our plant life against its destructive enemies. 



Experience has shown that laws are of but little use in accomplishing reforms, 

 unless sustained by an intelligent, sympathetic public opinion, and this is what we 

 require to cultivate on behalf of our birds. We have a protective law, wl.!ch is 

 amply sufficient if it was only properly enforced. Every person can protect the 

 birds upon his own lands, and if he would only do so, the benefits to be derived 

 from his efforts would soon be apparent. 



Not only should we defend and encourage our birds for the good they do in 

 protecting our crops, but also from higher motives. There is nothing in nature 

 more beautiful than the living bird — nothing that shows more clearly the wonder- 

 ful adaptation of the created thing to the purpose it is intended to serve, and no 

 form of life that can better gratify the more refined senses of mankind than our 

 feathered friends; their graceful forms and beautiful colouring excel the flowers, 

 while they alone are gifted with the power of producing that exquisite music which 

 above all things charms the lover of nature. 



