THE ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE OF ANIMALS 213 



(rats, mice, etc.), the pretty 

 green snake eats injurious in- 

 sects, and the Uttle 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 sonu^ siuikos (constric- 

 tors) kill and eat their prey. (Series 

 photographed by C. W. Beebe and 

 Claxence Halter.) 



