8 OUR NATIVE BIRDS 



for several hours. Need we be surprised that we miss 

 the birds under these conditions? 



3. Cats. All domestic cats catch a bird, whenever 

 they can, and many are confirmed bird and nest hunters. 

 On the ground, in holes and boxes, in shrubs, and on 

 small trees, birds and nests are alike exposed to their 

 attacks. About the only nest a cat cannot reach is 

 that of the Baltimore oriole, but should an overbold 

 oriole fledgling fall to the ground, before it is wary 

 and has mastered the new art of flying, the ever watch- 

 ing cats are almost sure to get it. And how many 

 young birds fall to the ground out of the nest or from 

 their perch ! 



If we consider that many farmers seem to keep about 

 as many cats as the farm would support mice, and that 

 many city families will, at least, keep a worthless cat, 

 if not also a worthless cur, the scarcity of birds need 

 not puzzle us. 



I have often wondered if some species of small owl 

 could not be domesticated, and displace the cat as a 

 mouser. Some bird-lover ought to make careful exper- 

 iments with owls for this purpose. 



4. Boys, Collectors, and So-called Bird Students. My 

 experience with boys enables me to say that parents, 

 teachers, and other adults are responsible for most of the 

 mischief boys commit against birds. They are easily 

 turned into bird protectors, as I shall show later. The 

 individual with the egg and skin collecting mania, and 

 the individual who makes collecting in a settled country 

 a business are nuisances. Several periodicals and many 



