PROTECTION OF BIRDS 471 



day and one cat has been observed to kill more than ten birds 

 in one day. Mr. Forbush estimates that a mature cat in good 

 hunting grounds kills fifty birds each year. Dr. Fisher esti- 

 mates that cats destroy annually 3,500,000 birds in the state 

 of New York alone. It has been estimated that in the United 

 states east of the Mississippi River cats kill annually from 

 seventy-five to one hundred million birds, mostly nestlings. 



Bird students generally agree that one of the first steps 

 necessary for the control of the cat is to require a license, 

 similar to that now required for dogs. This would lead 

 people to keep fewer cats and to take better care of those 

 which they licensed. At the same time provision should be 

 made for the disposition of stray homeless cats in some 

 humane way. People who keep cats should see that during 

 the nesting season, the cats are kept shut up during the night 

 and early morning and that they are well fed. 



English sparrow. The English sparrow is injurious to 

 other birds both directly and indirectly. It attacks other 

 birds and breaks up their nests, destroying their eggs and 

 young. Indirectly, it is specially injurious to birds that 

 nest in cavities, such as the wrens, bluebirds, and martins. 

 It is so persistent in taking the nesting sites of these birds 

 that gradually they leave localities where the sparrows are 

 common. 



Sparrows may be controlled in three ways : by shooting, 

 by trapping, and by poisoning. In sections where shooting 

 is allowed, this may prove an effective means if persisted in. 

 In cities, however, shooting is not allowed. Trapping is a 

 very effective means and may be used anywhere. If native 

 birds are caught, they can be released without any injury. 

 Under certain circumstances, poisoning may be used; but 

 as there is danger that valuable birds may be poisoned, this 

 method can be used only where sparrows alone are found. 



Man as an enemy of birds. Man himself is one of the 

 bird's worst enemies. In years past when men have hunted 



