The Birds of Wyoming. 11 



these varied direct benefits which are brought about by the 

 presence of birds, man is further indebted to these creatures 

 for the cheer which their gay music, bright plumage and 

 pleasant manners bring to him. The birds form a carefully 

 organized army of police which is engaged in keeping affairs 

 balanced in nature. 



"But we can go even further summing up the benefits 

 that men may derive from the birds. A great many kinds 

 make excellent food, while others furnish sport and pleasure 

 to a large number of men and boys who seem to require a cer- 

 tain kind of entertainment while accompanied with dog ana 

 gun. Dead birds when embalmed as mummies and attached 

 to the head-gear worn by some girls and women are also 

 claimed to cause much happiness. 



"Birds as Enemies. — It would be ridiculous for me to 

 assert here that no injury ever resulted from the presence of 

 birds on the farm or in the orchard. Quite a number of differ- 

 ent species are continually stepping over to the wrong side of 

 the 'ledger' as it were, and committing depredations of various 

 kinds which if considered alone would render the perpetrators 

 liable to severe punishment — in some cases even unto death. 

 Some of the crimes that can be charged to the feathered tribe 

 are cherry and berry-stealing, grape-puncturing, apple-pecking, 

 corn-pulling, grain-eating, the unintentional carrying from 

 place to place of some kinds of scale insects that happen to 

 crawl on their legs and feet, the possible spreading of hog 

 cholera by crows and buzzards, the robbing of the poultry 

 yards, and lastly some birds are accused of making noises that 

 awaken us from our slumbers in the morning. 



"Some of these crimes are genuine and are to be deplored, 

 while others are more imaginary than real. A few of them 

 could be prevented in part or altogether, while others might 

 be diminished if we were inclined to take the trouble to do it. 



"After all that can be said pro and con concerning the 

 usefulness of birds in general there remains no doubt, in the 



