110 NATURAL HISTORY 



bers without any adequate return. It gives us also 

 t)ie prospect of being able to stock our lakes and 

 streams with, valuable fish, as easily as we can sup- 

 ply our farms with flocks, and to much more profit. 

 The time is not far distant, when those who have 

 sneered at the study of " eels and mudpouts," and 

 have made speeches on economy when States have 

 appropriated money for this purpose, may find that 

 there are some things not dreamed of in their phi- 

 losophy, and that money can be made where they 

 never suspected it. 



The study of the beautiful birds and the hideous 

 reptiles has corrected many false notions, and shown 

 that the former, at least, are a flying guard for the 

 protection of our fields and gardens. We are glad 

 to invite their aid, and divide our delicious fruit 

 with them, that we may save the remaining half 

 from the insects. Even the crow, despised and per- 

 secuted as he is, is found to pay w r ell for the few 

 grains of corn he may steal. We come by careful 

 study of all these classes of animals to learn their 

 true place to learn the use we can make of each of 

 them the methods of protecting the useful and of 



