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THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



every friend of tbe birds, watches it with 

 the same feeling. How large a part of the 

 pleasure of a Summer's ramble through 

 Nature's wooded haunts will be destroyed 

 when the melodious song of the bird and 

 his beautiful feathered form flitting from 

 tree to tree are no longer there. Is the 

 destruction of birds for millinery purposes 

 more than a sentimental grievance? is a 

 question that may be asked. There can be 

 but one answer to it when such interests 

 are at stake. Many prominent scientists 

 reply with us in the affirmative. Large as 

 is the number of birds destroyed by hawks, 

 eagles and other birds of prey, the number 

 killed ))y man is far greater. "Experience 

 is the best teacher," says an old adage. 

 Looking into tbe past we learn some inter- 

 esting facts. We find many cases where 

 species of birds have been exterminated 

 with sad results to the farmer. Several 

 years ago the woodpeckers were thought 

 to be injuring the trees in some portions of 

 Virginia and North Carolina. These birds 

 were indiscriminately slaughtered, and as 

 a result, acres of forests were ruined by the 

 larvae of a species of boring beetle. Large 

 tracts of forest in Saxony and Branden- 

 burg have been devastated under similar 

 circumstances. Prof. Jenks writes that at 

 Bridgewater, about sixty years ago, the 

 farmers held a shooting match on slection 

 day, and a large number of birds were 

 killed. On many acres of pasture land the 

 grass soon assumed a white color. Investi- 

 gation revealed the fact that it had been 

 destroyed by the larvse of some insect, the 

 result of the destruction of the birds. But 

 it is apparent that some of our birds are be- 

 coming scarce, through the ravages made 

 among them for the millinery trade, and 

 only the above results can follow. In 1883 

 the Caspian Tern was abundant on Cobb's 

 Island. Feather hunters have been at work 

 there since, and the result is that scarcely a 

 specimen has been secured this season. 

 Men engaged in this business received 

 orders for thousands of birds every day. 

 The Kittiwake Gull is becoming rare in 

 some portions of England. Many species 

 of birds are decreasing through the exorbi- 



tant demands of this trade, as for example, 

 the Gulls and Terns on the New Jersey 

 coast, the EgTets and Pelicans in Florida, 

 the Swallows in some parts of Long Island, 

 and the Parrakeet in several Southern 

 States, We say in conclusion; Protect the 

 birds for the good they do.— Editorial in 

 tlie Woraul r County Xatiiralmi. 



A Nest Full of Eggs. 



Three years ago I took a set of ten 

 Robin's eggs from a nest that was in a 

 hemlock within ten feet of our back door. 

 The nest was built by a pair of Robins 

 about the middle of May, and after' occu- 

 pying it for a week it was deserted for 

 about as long. When I noticed it it was 

 again in the possession of either the same 

 or another pair, but after a short stay these 

 too were disturbed, and father not thinking 

 Robins worthy of his hospitality, pulled 

 the nest down and gave to me, and to my 

 surprise it contained ten eggs, all of which 

 were the same in size and color. Kobins here 

 universally lay five eggs in the first set, but 

 later on they seldom exceed four. I think 

 this is the case with most birds of the 

 North, and that the birds, by some means 

 or other, know that those reared in the lat- 

 ter part of the season require more care 

 than those that have a chance to prepare 

 themselves for the hardships of winter, or 

 of the migrations southward, and there- 

 fore have a smaller family. I would like 

 to hear from others regarding this. 

 Yours Resp't, 



E. W. Judge, Jr. 

 Woodbridge, Conn. 



Eat the Sparrows. 



It is in print that the English* Sparrows 

 which are eaten in Philadelphia for Reed 

 birds, are considered as a great delicacy. 

 The flesh of the Sparrow is darker than 

 that of the Reed bird, but the Philadelphia 

 cooks say that only those who have never 

 eaten anything but Reed birds can tell the 

 difference. People who consider Sparrows 

 a nuisance need no further light as to how 

 they may be properly uWWzeA.— Clipping. 



