FOREST DESTRUCTION. 405 



of lowly vegetation wither and die, and the forms of animal life depend- 

 ent on blie shelter thus afforded arc either destroyed or driven away. 

 It often happens that this undervegetation is swept away by lire or 

 devoured and trampled by sheep without immediate serious injury to 

 the trees. Persons familiar with the forests of our western mountains 

 do not need to be told that where sheep have been allowed to graze for 

 several years the undervegetation is destroyed and the surface of the 

 ground converted into an absolute desert, although the trees remain. 

 In these eases the extermination of the fauna and flora is almost as 

 complete as if the forest itself had been consumed. In other words, 

 the forest fauna, consisting in the main of species dependent on the 

 protection and food afforded by the smaller plants, can not exist when 

 these plants are removed. This is true not only of a host of insects 

 and other lowly forms of animal life, but also of most reptiles and 

 mammals, and many birds. Birds that nest on the ground or in logs 

 or. shrubbery, such as grouse, sparrows, thrushes, wrens, and others, 

 are completely exterminated by tire, sheep grazing, and other agencies 

 which destroy the under vegetation. The same is true of mammals, 

 for the numerous kinds of mice, shrews, chipmunks, ground squirrels, 

 wood rabbits, weasels, and others that are dependent on the under- 

 vegetation of forests disappear when this shelter is removed. 



It follows that preservation of the forests implies preservation of 

 the native flora and fauna. Hence the movement now on foot to set 

 aside certain forest reserves as permanent game preserves is worthy 

 of the earnest support of all who have at heart the welfare and per- 

 petuation of our forest fauna. 



