128 INJURIOUS INSECTS OF 1904. 



A PLEA FOR SOME OF OUR COMMON BIRDS BASED 

 UPON THEIR FOOD HABITS. 



There appears to be a call for information regarding the food 

 habits of some of our common birds, which are often condemned 

 because of ignorance upon this point. In an endeavor to furnish 

 this information and describe briefly some of our feathered friends 

 in such a way that they may be recognized, Press Bulletin No. 19 has 

 been issued. Largely at the instigation of the Audubon Society of 

 Minnesota, a strong effort is being made to inculcate in our citizens, 

 particularly in the school children, a love for the birds, which will 

 check the cruel practice of shooting and maiming, with sling-shot 

 or air gun, animals which are as capable of suffering acute pain as 

 ourselves. However injurious a bird may be — and there are some 

 which at times do work injury upon the farmer or fruit grower — this 

 is nevertheless no excuse for its being caused to sufifer at the hands 

 of a thoughtless boy, who, in years after, will regret his cruelty. 

 With this educational object in view the efforts of the Audubon 

 Society are being ably seconded by the State Horticultural Society 

 and the State Educational Association. These societies have appoint- 

 ed from among their members a committee to forward this work. 

 Particulars regarding the work can be obtained from any one of the 

 following members of the committee : Prof. Lange, Central High 

 School, St. Paul ; Pro. O. T. Denny, Central High School, St. Paul ; 

 Mrs. J. B. Hudson, Lake City;" Mrs. La Penotiere, 1928 Portland 

 Avenue, Minneapolis ; Mrs. Ida Thompson, Duluth ; Mr. S. A. Stock- 

 well, Penn. Ins. Co., Andrus Building, Minneapolis; Miss Sarah 

 L. Putnam, 229 Eighth avenue S. E.^ MinneapoHs ; Prof. A. W. 

 Rankin, Minneapolis; F. L. Washburn, State Experiment Station, St. 

 Anthony Park. 



The State Experiment Station is only too glad to assist in this 

 good work by publishing at this time the following economic data on 

 the food habits of some of our common birds. These data are 

 largely the result of the work done by the United States Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture and by independent workers, credit for which 

 is given in the text. The writer desires to urge upon the teachers 

 the need of encouraging their pupils in humanitarian principles in 

 connection with our birds, and discouraging the stoning of the same. 



