No. 6. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 635 



We read in the Bible that Noah sent forth a dove from the ark 

 to ascertain whether or not there was dry land. It was sent forth 

 three times. The second time it returned with an oli\e leaf, and 

 the third time it did not retain at all. By this, Noah knew that, 

 not only was there dry land, but also something upon which the 

 dove could live. What greater work could a bird have than to be 

 man's helper in finding him a place to live? 



The raven, although it is not a handsome bird nor even a sweet 

 singer, also had a mission to fulfill, for, when, on account of a 

 famine, Elijah had nothing upon which to live, it was an instrument 

 in God's hands to bring him food. 



When the Gauls had conquered all of Rome, but a hill upon which 

 stood its guardian gods — Jupiter, Juno and Minerva — if it had not 

 been for the sacred geese of Juno this hill would have been cap- 

 tured; but the geese hearing the Gauls ascending the hill began to 

 cackle and their cackling awakened the guards who spread the 

 alarm, and, when the Romans attacked the Gauls they easily con 

 quered them. Thus Rome, as we might say, was saved by geese. 



The parrot can be taught to talk almost as plainly as a person. 

 During the absence of a family who owned one of these talkative 

 parrots, robbers entered the housi\ gathered up all the valuables 

 they could find and put them in a parcel for carrying away. The 

 package was made up and they were just about starting off with it. 

 when suddenly a loud voice rang through the room to their ears: "I 

 see you! I see you! John, bring my gun quick!" The robbers were 

 so frightened that leaving their bundle they hastened to the window 

 and jumped out into a neighboring yard, where escape was impos- 

 sible, and so were captured and brought to justice. 



But this is just a few of the more remarakable facts of the mis- 

 sion of birds. They are nearly all useful in some way. Many of 

 our birds live upon insects which would destroy a large amount of 

 our fruits and vegetables. It is said that a brood of birds which 

 consists on an average of rive, will destroy in about thirty days 

 nearly 7,500 flies or other insects. Each fly eats daily in flowers, 

 leaves and buds a quantity equal to its weight until it has obtained 

 its growth. In thirty days it will have eaten one flower a day, a 

 flower which would have produced a specimen of fruit. Thus in 

 thirty days, each fly having eaten fruits, the 7,500 flies which a 

 brood of birds would have destroyed causes us to lose 225 000 apples, 

 peaches, pears and other fruits. This is a strong argument in 

 favor of the preservation of birds, a measure alike to the advantage 

 of the producer and consumer. 



Would not this earth be desolate indeed if it were not for the 

 songs of birds? How many a hard-working man or woman is en- 

 couraged in their toil by the songsters around them? And how 

 many a sick person who has spent all his life in some large city 

 where he has never heard the songs of birds, unless it might be that 

 of some caged captive, whose melody is not so thrilling by half 

 as from one that is flying from tree to tree and pouring forth its 

 soul in music to its Almighty Creator, is brought back to health 

 and given a new determination to live a better life by going for a 

 while into the country where he can hear the songs of birds? 



If, therefore, birds play such an important part for the world's 

 good, let us try to make their lives as happy as possible by not 



