BIRD HABITS 



295 



It sometimes happens that birds enjoy the same seeds or fruits 

 that man raises, or they may at times rob his yard of a stray chicken, 

 but very careful study has proven that there are but three or four 

 birds which do more harm than good. The rest many times repay 

 for their fruit by destruction of insects and vermin. The birds 

 in whose favor little can be said are the Cooper's and sharp-shinned 



FIG. 99. Oriole's nest with skeleton of bluejay suspended from it, 

 the blue-jay probably came to the nest to eat the eggs, became en- 

 tangled in the strings composing the nest and died by hanging. 

 Photograph by J. S. Hanter. (From Kellogg.) 



hawks, great horned owl, and English sparrow. The verdict 

 against the first three is based upon their destruction of poultry 

 and useful birds, while the sparrow is driving away many of our 

 more valuable and attractive native birds. 



The English sparrow and possibly the starling also are examples 

 of the unwisdom of tampering with the balance of nature. Both 

 are European birds, introduced into this country by man. Abroad 

 they are not over numerous, but here, removed from their natural 



