THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF ANIMALS 213 



(rats, mice, etc.), the pretty 

 green snake eats injurious in- 

 sects, and the little DeKay 

 snake feeds partially on slugs. 

 If it were not that the rattle- 

 snake and the copperhead are 

 venomous, they also could be 

 said to be useful, for they live 

 on English sparrows, rats, mice, 

 moles, and rabbits. 



Food of Herbivorous Ani- 

 mals. We must not forget 

 that other animals besides in- 

 sects and birds help to keep 

 down the rapidly growing weeds. 

 Herbivorous animals the world 

 over destroy, besides the grass 

 which they eat, untold multi- 

 tudes of weeds, which, if un- 

 checked, would drive out the 

 useful occupants of the pasture, 

 the grasses and grains. 



HARM DONE BY 



ANIMALS 



Economic Loss from Insects. 

 The money value of crops, 

 forest trees, stored foods, and 

 other material destroyed annu- 

 ally by insects is beyond belief. 

 It is estimated that they get 

 one tenth of the country's crops, 

 at the lowest estimate a matter 

 of some $300,000,000 yearly. 

 " The common schools of the 

 country cost in 1902 the sum 

 of $235,000,000, and all higher 



This shows how some snakes (constric- 

 tors) kill and eat their prey. (Series 

 photographed by C. W. Beebe and 

 Clarence Halter.) 



