BIRD PROTECTION :^05 



height of the season, the latter half of July and 

 August, is one hundred and seventy carloads! 

 While in New York State the estimated de- 

 struction of injurious insects by birds each season 

 is more than three million bushels! Mr. William 

 R. Oates, game commissioner of Michigan, has 

 estimated the value of the service rendered by 

 birds annually in that state in the destruction of 

 noxious insects and weed seeds at more than 

 ^10,000,000. What a saving, and at what a tri- 

 fling cost! Enormous as the figures are it should 

 be remembered they are based upon well known 

 facts. A very little logical reasoning readily leads 

 to the conclusion that adequate protection of bird 

 life is not only the natural but the least expensive 

 means of preventing the vast annual damage to 

 crops from causes largely preventable. In the light 

 of these disclosures, is it not apparent that there 

 are few problems of the farmer of greater mo- 

 ment.^ And, unlike many other difficulties in the 

 farmer's path, the remedy to a great degree is at 

 hand. 



Besides these bird laborers never go on strike, 

 never become intoxicated, never complain of 

 the weather, take no days off either for sport 

 or recreation. In the face of these facts can 

 we do less than protect in every possible way 

 such faithful friends of man.^ And all they 

 ask in return is a reasonable supply of food, a 

 secure nesting place, and protection from their 

 numerous enemies. Careful students of natural 

 phenomena have concluded that were all the 

 birds destroyed, the earth in a comparatively 

 short time would become uninhabitable for man. 



