PROCEEDINGS OF THE BOLL WEEVIL CONVENTION. 6l 



you are discussing yours, and although the question of fighting the in- 

 sect enemies which prey upon the pecan trees was thoroughly considered, 

 nevertheless not one speaker made any allusion to the important part 

 which birds play in ridding the world of all such pests and of their con- 

 sequent economic value. And of all men who should acknowledge the 

 debt of obligation due the feathered tribe the pecan grower is most con- 

 spicuous. 



For instance, there are birds whose diet is almost wholly made up of 

 the disguesting worms which live on pecan trees and which will, unless 

 checked, absolutely denude those trees of leaves, bud and fruit. The 

 most conspicuous bird in this class is the yellow billed cuckoo or rain 

 crow. This bird eats all kinds of tree worms and is the only bird that 

 will eat the unsightly and disgusting hairy caterpillars. The cuckoo will 

 gorge himself on this diet until his crop is actually lined with hairs from 

 off the backs of these caterpillars. 



I could go on in this manner for the next hour arid dilate upon the 

 economic value of certain birds and cite case after case of authentic 

 record of services which birds render in their ceaseless and incessant war- 

 fare against the hosts of insect pests. But the story would only be a re- 

 iteration of those already told and would tire you by its reiteration. Suf- 

 fice to say that it seems as though against every form of insect life 

 there was some special form of bird life waging a warfare of destruction 

 to be carried on to a successful conclusion but for the ignorance, the 

 indifference and folly of mankind. 



One most conspicuous example in this respect is told in the story of 

 the chinch bug. 



This bug is distinguished by its armor plated back and its disgusting 

 bed bug odor. It is an unsightly looking thing and its destructive abilities 

 place it at the head of its class. The Department of Agriculture is au- 

 thority for the statement that it destroys annually one hundred million 

 dollars of crops. Strange to say this enormous loss is patiently borne 

 by the farmers and no steps are taken to abate it. And yet it is entirely 

 within the bounds of reason to say that this insect could be completely 

 exterminated and the loss it occasions be saved. 



The price to be paid however is beyond man's courage, he simply will 

 not do it, for it means that man shall deprive himself of the pleasure of 

 murdering such ground living insect eating birds as the inoffensive and 

 most valuable feathered ally, the luscious morsel named quail. 



These birds, Bob White and the prairie hens, are born with the deter- 

 mination to rid the world of every chinch bug on it, and would unques- 

 tionably fulfill their mission but for the crass stupidity of man who would 

 rather have the carcasses of these birds served on his table than acknow- 

 ledge the service rendered by decreeing their protection. 



But I feel sure the time will soon be here when the farmers of this 



