8 



The clause purports to have been enacted "for the benefit of agricul- 

 ture," etc. 



The possibility of the passage of such an act by any legislative 

 body is a melancholy comment on the widespread ignorance that pre- 

 vails even among intelligent persons, concerning the food of our com- 

 mon birds and mammals, and is an evidence of the urgent need of 

 just such systematic and comprehensive investigations as this depart- 

 ment is now making on the subject of the relation of food nabits to 

 agriculture. 



There are two kinds of weasels in the Eastern States. The smaller 

 kind feeds chiefly on mice and insects and is tiot known to kill poul- 

 try. The larger also preys mainly upon mice and rats, but in addition 

 sometimes kills rabbits and poultry. Both species are friends of 

 the farmer, for the occasional loss of a few chickens is of trifling 

 consequence compared with the good that these animals are constantly 

 doing in checking the increase of mice. 



You ask my opinion in regard to the beneficial and injurious quali- 

 ties of the hawks and owls which inhabit Pennsylvania. This ques- 

 tion seems almost superflous in view of the fact that your own investi- 

 gations, more than those of any other one person, have led to a bet- 

 ter knovi'ledge of the food-habits of these birds, and what you have 

 done in the East Prof. Aughey, of Nebraska, has done in the West. 

 Many others have added their "mites," till at the present time a suffi- 

 cient array of facts has been accumulated to enable us to state, with- 

 out fear of contradiction, that our hawks and owls must be ranked 

 among the best friends of the farmer. With very few exceptions 

 their food consists of mice and insects, meadow-mice and grasshop- 

 pers predominating. The exceptions are the fierce Goshawk from tiie 

 North, and two smaller resident hawks. Cooper's and the Sharp- 

 shinned, which really destroy many wild birds and some poultry. 

 These three hawks have long tails and short wings, which serve, 

 among other characters, to distinguish them from the beneficial kinds. 



Strange as it may appear to the average farmer, the largest hawks 

 are the ones that do the most good. Foremost among these are the 

 rough-legged and Marsh hawks, which do not meddle with poultry 

 and rarely prey upon wild birds. 



Of hawks and owls collectively, it may safely be said that, except 

 in rare instances, the loss they occasion by the destruction of poultry 

 is insignificant in comparison with the benefits derived by the farmer 

 and fruit grower from their constant vigilance ; for when unmolested 

 the one guards his crop by day and the other by night. 



It is earnestly to be hoped that you will succeed not only in causing 

 the repeal of the ill-advised act which provides a bounty for the kill- 

 ing of hawks and owls, but that you will go farther, and secure the 

 enactment of a law which will impose a fine for the slaughter of these 

 useful birds. Very truly yours, 



C. HART MERRIAM, 

 Ornithologist of the Department of Agriculture. 



