.{4 



farm is engaged, to a more or less extent, iu raisiujj 

 domestic fowls. This being the case it is of the utmosi 

 importance, not only for the individual farmer's ad 

 vantage, but for the general welfare of the Common- 

 wealth, that every effort should be made to correct Iho 

 popular prejudice which exists, in many localities 

 against diiTerent species of our furred and feathered 

 tenants. t 



WILL SUFFKR FOR OUR BLUNDERS. 



However, the lack of proper knowledge, as to the 

 true economic relations of birds and mammals, is, by 

 no means, restricted to the agricultural pei>])le. .-is 

 has been repeatedly evidenced from the fact that, 

 on several occasions, barriers have been placed, by 

 officials (no doubt well meaning but certainly not well- 

 infoi-med). in the way of proposed efforts to educate 

 the masses in different branches of the natural 

 sciences. 



The fruits of such blunders are manifest now, and in 

 years to follow they will be much more apparent. 

 Laboring under an idle delusion that some of the 

 most serviceable birds to be found about une'.s premises 

 lire injurious, we see meu destroyinsr all hawks and 

 owls they find; yet there are probably not more than 

 five Of six of lli(>se bii'ds (species) wliidi arc sntfiiicurly 

 numerous iu the State to do .serious damage to domes- 

 tic fowls and game. The fact that some species of 

 raptorial birds live almost wholly on different forms 

 of noxious insect-life is, seemingly, unknown to the 

 great majority, and as a natural sequence these sharp- 

 eyed feathered benefactors are killed with rue same 

 nest as are their poultry-game-eating kinsfolk. 



The smaller kinds of owls which love an insect diet, 

 have, likewise, been hunted as eagerly by scal])hunters 



