1884.] RELATIONS OF WOODLANDS TO ANIMAL LIFE. 49 

 THE RELATIONS OF WOODLANDS TO ANIMAL LIFE. 



BY FRANKLIN" B. HOUGH, U.S. 



THE first French Forest Code (the Ordinance of 1669) associated 

 the waters and the forests, the latter including all fresh-water 

 streams above tide-flow, — as a supposed necessity in floating wood 

 to market ; and although since changed, liy the Code Forcstier of 

 1827, the term Eaux ct Forets [Waters and Forests] is still in 

 common use. It gave jurisdiction to the fisheries, and all violations 

 of the game laws came before its tribunals for hearing and punish- 

 ment. With the Germans, Forsi unci Jagcl [Forest and Hunting] 

 are almost inseparable terms, and indicate one of the earliest func- 

 tions of the forester in protecting the game. This duty is taught 

 in every Forest Academy at the present day, and the revenues from 

 the sale of hunting licences form a considerable item in forest 

 accounts. But in our laud of eciual rights, and with no privileged 

 classes, the owner of the land owns all the rights of hunting and 

 fishing that pertain to them. He can use or lease, them, or forbid 

 their use by others, and the laws will protect him in so doing. So, 

 dismissing all questions of rights and privileges, we will now come 

 to consider the relation of the woodlands to animal life in the single 

 light of the injury or the benefit that may result. 



And first, of insect life, a few are beneficial. We owe our 

 cochineal, and nutgalls, and lac, to the presence of the right insects 

 in the right place ; and whatever injury these may do to the growing 

 vegetation, is abundantly repaid by the product. The silkworm is 

 wholly dependent upon the foliage of trees for its food, and for the 

 material that is finally spun as silk. Our bees gatlier tlieir richest 

 stores of honey from the basswood and other trees when in bloom. 

 Something more might be said on the credit side. But other tribes 

 infest the seeds, the young germs, and the young trees at every stage 

 of growth ; nor do they cease tlieir injuries while the tree lives. We 

 find them in the roots, in the bark, between the bark and wood, in 

 the wood, and in the pith. They feed upon the blossoms, and the 

 growing fruit, and upon the leaves. Finally, when the trunk has 

 fallen and begun to decay, they hasten decomposition by feeding in 

 the rotten wood, and thus shorten the time of its turning back 

 to soil. 



Probably the greatest damages are done by the larva of the 

 beetle tribe, but the caterpillars of the moth and butterfly families 

 will sometimes strip the foliage from the trees in midsummer, 

 causing great injuries where they do not actually destroy. With 



