12 GAME AND ITS PROTECTION. 
gave evidence of hardiness and promise of long 
utility to man, pauses in its growth, becomes deli- 
cate, fades, and finally dies. 
The destruction of these vermicular pests is a 
question of life or death to the farmer. He may 
attempt it either with his own labor, by tarring his 
trees, fastening obstructions on the trunks, or by 
killing individuals; or he may have it done for him, 
free of expense, by innumerable flocks of the deni- 
zens of the air. The increase of worms must be 
stopped ; the means of doing so is a question of 
serious public concern, and none have yet been in- 
vented so effectual as the natural course—the res- 
toration of the equipoise of nature. It is true that 
the robin, as we call him, now and then steals a 
cherry, and has been blamed as though he were 
nothing more than a cherry-thief; but surely we 
can spare him a little fruit for his dessert, when we 
remember that his meal has been composed mainly 
of the deadly enemies of that very fruit! Swallows 
are accused of breeding lice, which, if true, would 
not be a serious charge, considering that their nests 
are generally in the loftiest and least accessible cor- 
ner they can find; but when we consider how many 
millions of noxious flies and poisonous mosquitoes 
they destroy, how they hover over the swamps and 
meadows for this especial purpose, and how much 
annoyance their labors save to human kind, we owe 
them gratitude instead of abuse. 
Every tribe of birds has its allotted part to play ; 
and if destroyed, not only will its pleasant songs and 
