10 OUR NATIVE BIRDS 



of Paris green and other arsenical poisons. Although 

 I have no evidence and am not aware that the subject 

 has been investigated by any scientist, it seems that a 

 number of insectivorous birds that are known to eat 

 potato-bugs must be, at times, poisoned by eating insects 

 paralysed by Paris green. It has been repeatedly 

 observed that corn which has been impregnated with 

 strychnine for killing gophers, blackbirds, and crows is 

 at times eaten by quails, prairie-chickens, mourning 

 doves, meadow larks, and other seed-eaters. 



The only way to avoid the poisoning of song and game 

 birds is to restrict the use of poisons to the most serious 

 cases of insect, bird,' and vermin pests to cases that 

 cannot be reached by any other means. We should not 

 forget that birds and animals do not commit crimes 

 against us ; they simply live as their nature compels 

 them to. If they wage war against us, they are simply 

 fighting the battle for existence, which is the divine 

 right of all life, and of animals and plants as well as of 

 man; it is the unalienable birthright of all nature. 

 Humane nations and humane thinkers have long ceased 

 to consider all means fair in war. Should not man, 

 who is now so far ahead in the struggle, consider some 

 means unfair in his war with the lower creatures, espe- 

 cially as they cannot use unfair means ? 



We have need of much more light on the question of 

 injurious birds and animals. Nearly every farmer and 

 gardener is apt to exaggerate the injury caused him by 

 bird or beast, because this injury is conspicuous, and is 

 done within a few months, weeks, days, or even 



