SHALL WE PAY OUR DEBT? 371 



a flock of over two hundred, to which this bird 

 belonged, had an equal record, which is only fair 

 to suppose, then on one half-mile stretch of the 

 Wabash river -bank, six hundred birds of beauti- 

 ful plumage and exquisite song, invaluable to us 

 as insect exterminators were wiped out by the cow- 

 birds of this small flock; while, if these cowbirds 

 averaged four eggs each, there were four hundred of 

 these pests to take the places of the finches and 

 warblers. This estimate is conservative, because 

 my cowbird laid five eggs, the first of which was 

 walled in the bottom of the nest of the song 

 sparrow, as previously described. If I have any 

 influence whatever, I shall most earnestly use it 

 in advocating the complete extermination of cow- 

 birds and English sparrows. As a matter of jus- 

 tice to exquisite little creatures, upon whom all of 

 us are dependent, and as a matter of self-preserva- 

 tion, I urge that this matter be gone into strenu- 

 ously and immediately. 



The next most serious menace to our insectiver- 

 ous birds, I should say is the depredations of other 

 birds, such as crows, hawks, jays, and owls. Here 

 we are helpless; nature must preserve her own 

 balance. We can not interfere to any great extent. 

 These creatures evolved together, and if left to 

 themselves, they will keep the equation. I do 

 make it a rule, which I advise everyone to follow 

 wherever it is possible : give the insectiverous song- 

 bird the benefit of the doubt, protect it wherever 



