THE BIRD QUESTION. 455 



But what course shall we take with regard to those birds which, either from 

 their numbers or their peculiar propensities, are seriously detrimental to our 

 interests ? Supposing that it has been found, or that it may hereafter be found, 

 that, owing to the depredations of certain birds, it is impossible to raise some one 

 or more of our standard fruits, or other crops, there can be no doubt that the 

 species of birds causing this damage Avould have to be placed in the same cate- 

 gory with noxious insects. It would be true of both, that, though useful in 

 the general economy of nature, their injuriousness had come to surpass their 

 usefulness, and their numbers might, therefore, require to be diminished. But 

 there are some ardent admirers of birds who can not bring themselves to admit 

 that, in any case which will be likely to arise, it will become either desirable or 

 safe to destroy any considerable number of their favorites; and they cite, in cor- 

 roboration of ther position, those cases which are on record in some of the 

 European countries where, at certain times, the practice of killing small birds 

 has extensively prevailed ; and where, in consequence, the country has been 

 overrun by destructive insects, and to such an extent that the national author- 

 ities have been compelled to interfere, and not only forbid the killing of small 

 birds, under severe penalties, but have, in some instances, taken measures to 

 re-introduce them from neighboring countries. 



Such historical facts as tliese furnish an admirable proof of the general util- 

 ity of birds, and of the folly, as well as the cruelty, of their indiscriminate 

 destruction; but they constitute no argument against the occasional diminu- 

 tion of particular species, should this become necessary. The killing of small 

 birds in some parts of Europe, especially Germany and Italy, has been done by 

 the poorer class of peasanty, for the purpose of supplying their families with a 

 small pittance of animal food, which they were unable otherwise to procure, 

 and the destruction of birds by them has, therefore, been general and indis- 

 crimate ; whereas, in abating the damage done by birds to the farmer and the 

 horticulturist, it is not expected to be necessary to wage warfare upon but a 

 few species, and that these will require to be diminished only, and not 

 exterminated. 



It must be a source of gratification to the lovers of birds, and this embraces 

 all of us in a greater or less degree, that the number which it is supposed it 

 may become necessary to reduce is so small, being limited to less than half a 

 dozen species ; and I do not wish to be understood as advocating the destruc- 

 tion even of these. My object is to present some of the leading facts and con- 

 siderations which should govern our conduct in this matter, and with these 

 general principles in our minds, I believe it will be safe to leave the bird ques- 

 tion to the good judgment and good feeling of those who are more especially 

 interested in it. 



Mr. Wier — The sap-sucker is not a true woodpecker. The hairy woodpecker 

 is the only practical enemy to the round-hea<ied apple tree borer, and is there- 

 fore one of the most uselul of birds, while the sap-sucker, which so nearly 

 resembles it, is one of our enemies. 



Mr. Powell said he had some Scotch pines which were badly injured by the 

 sap-suckers, but had stopped their work by wrapping cloths around the bodies 

 of trees where they worked; also had frightened them away by hanging white 

 cloths in the evergreens. 



Mr. Galusha described the sap-sucker as a brown bird, about half the size of 

 the robin or the common red-headed woodpecker, with a yellow breast, the 

 males having a small tuft of red on top of the head. This bird is quiet in its 



