the Value of Birds to Man. 95 



a single silkworm in fifty-six days equals in weight 

 86,000 times its original weight at hatching. What a 

 destruction this single species of insect could make, i£ 

 only a one-hundredth part of the eggs laid came to 

 maturity I 



Man at "War with Nature's Laws. 



The development of young birds is so rapid, and the 

 demand upon the vitality of older ones so great, that an 

 enormous amount o£ food is necessary to sustain the vital 

 processes. Digestion is exceedingly rapid in birds, and they 

 feed for the most part throughout the day, especially when 

 rearing young. The number of insects daily passed into the 

 insatiable maws of the nestlings during this period almost 

 exceeds belief. 



But the most valuable services of the adult bird are 

 rendered when it is feeding in winter or early spring ; for 

 then it destroys countless numbers of insects in the embryo 

 state, and thus prevents myriads of depredators from coming 

 forth. 



Grave and far-reaching results invariably follow the sup- 

 pression of this perennial regulative influence which is 

 exerted by birds individually everywhere as a check on 

 insect life. 



Some years ago the agriculturists of Hungary, moved to 

 the insane step by ignorance and prejudice, succeeded in 

 getting the Sparrow doomed to destruction. Within five 

 years these same men were crying frantically for the bird 

 to be given back to them, lest they should perish ; and it 

 cost the Government 230,000 rix-dollars to re-instate the 

 outlaw. So the Sparrow was brought back, and, driving out 

 the hordes of devastating insects, proved the salvation of the 

 country. 



In the Island of Bourbon once, because of the same 

 ignorance and prejudice, a price was set on each Martin's 

 head. The birds all but disappeared, and grasshoppers took 

 possession of the island. Then the edict of banishment was 



