64 Bericht über d as permanente internationale ornithologische Comite. 



A) The Inquiry concerning the Food of Birds is one 

 of much consequence, because it undertakes the Solution 

 of many of the problems which beset the practical farmer, 

 and sheds üght upon many questions concerning which 

 almost universal ignorance prevails. 



Primarily, the food of all birds most consist either of 

 animal matter or vegetable matter or both, and its con- 

 sumption must be serviceable or prejudicial to the interests 

 of mankind. On this basis, all birds may be classed under 

 one of three heads: 



I. Birds whose habits r ender them, on the n'hole, beneficial. 



In this class must be ranked all those species whose 

 food is of such a nature that its consumption is a service 

 to man, This happens when a bird is injurious or destruc- 

 tive to plants which are detrimental to man; when it feeds 

 upon injurious mammals, birds, or reptiles, or such insects 

 as are injurious or destructive to useful animals, plants, or 

 materials, and which are not extensively destructive to 

 noxious forms of life. 



A bird also renders a service when it feeds upon 

 noxious mollusks, crustaceans, or worms. or upon carion. 



II. Birds whose habits render them, on the whole, injurious. 



A bird is harmful to us when it is injurious or des- 

 tructive to useful plants, or when it preys upon beneficial 

 mammals, such as skunks, shrews, moles, and bats, or upon 

 beneficial birds and their eggs, or upon lizards, snakes, 

 frogs, toads, and Salamanders. A bird is also harmful to us 

 when it preys upon parasites of noxious animals, especially 

 upon those of noxious insects, or upon beneficial predaceous 

 insects, spiders, and myriapods, or upon carion insects and 

 beneficial worms. 



III. Birds whose habits, so far as known, make it doubtful 

 whether on the whole, they are beneficial or injurious. 



It is probable that those birds which are provisionally 

 classed under this heading, eventually, when their habits 

 are better known , will, fall under one or the other of the 

 preceding categories. 



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