WINTER MEETING. 173 



but I have many other birds as well as sparrows. I take the sparrows' 

 nests from our bird-houses so as to let the martins in. Other birds 

 have the habit of driving away the birds they do not like. The little 

 wren throws the eggs out the martnis' nest. 



J. C Evans — Every bird that will lie in cover and impart its scent 

 to the dog is classed as a game bird. 



A member — Mr. Widmann expresses my sentiments. There is not 

 a bird in our country that should be killed. I hope the good work of 

 protecting the birds will go on. 



Mr. Periam of Illinois — The farmers themselves are to blame for 

 the birds being killed. No man has a right to shoot the birds on my 

 farm. The farmers do not understand that it is in their power to pre- 

 vent all trespassing upon their grounds. There is only one bird that 

 feeds its young on anything but insects. Even the sparrow feeds its 

 young on insects. In the winter they eat the eggs of the insects that 

 would batch out in the spring and increase to many millions. If we 

 cannot allow the robin, for instance, to take a few berries, we ought 

 not to have any berries. We are now hunting the world over for 

 something to spray with to prevent the ravages of insects, yet we 

 allow the destruction of the birds which are nature's remedy for insects. 



J.C. Evans — The great bird destroyers are the town boy with his 

 first gun, the negro and the dago. 



N. P. Murray — I recommend planting the Eussian mulberry to 

 grow bird food. It is fine for this purpose. They prefer it to cherries? 

 and it has a long season. It is also splendid poet timber. Every 

 farmer should plant a little grove. Town boys in all parts of the 

 country are continually hunting everything they can. If we can stop 

 the destruction of birds and have plenty of poultry in our orchards, I 

 think we can grow fruit in abundance. 



Mr. Chandler of Kansas — Many boys have a custom of hunting 

 birds' nests. I would like to see a law to protect birds and fine these 

 marauding bands that roam over the country. The State Society 

 should take the initiative in a thing of this kind, 



J.. C. Evans — I have something to do with the Olden fruit farm. I 

 am lord over *2,000 acres so far as birds are concerned. The boys started 

 to capture the birds. I forbid the troubling of birds' nests or the kill- 

 ing of birds. I threatened to prosecute any who killed birds and to 

 dismiss them from employment, I do not allow a quail shot. They are 

 becoming very numerous and very gentle, and we think we can dis- 

 cover that insects are growing scarcer. I say this with pride, but I 

 think it is commendable. 



Music — Vocal solo. 



