188 



THE GENESEE FARMER. 



The nuaiber of insects, -worms and larvtc, destroyed 

 by the robin, cat bird, swallow, sparrow, wren and 

 other small birds, is astonishing. One little family of 

 sparrows will destroy several hundred inaects in a sin- 

 gle day. 



The most casual observer could not help to ob- 

 serve that the various tribes of insects have increased 

 in proportion to the decrease of birds, who are their 

 natural enemies; the equilibrium of nature has been 

 disturbed by our cruelty and ignorance, in refusing 

 protection and succor to our best friends, and the 

 annual losa sustained by the country would be dffi- 

 oult to estimate. Wheat, Indian corn, garden vege- 

 table, fruit trees, and even the grass, and the trees of 

 our forests, annually furnish conclusive evidence of 

 the great disturbance in the equilibrium of nature 

 produced by those cruel, ignorant, loafing savages, and 

 even'boys, who may be seen skulking and creeping 

 round tho fences with an old rusty musket or fowling 

 piece, killing without discrimination, every bird they 

 gee. It is a mean and contemptible business, to say 

 the least, to destroy the little songsters that render 

 the fields vocal, and beautify creation. 



During the past fifty years the various tribes have 

 been diminishing with a frightful rapidity, and if it 

 should progress in the same ratio for the next fifty 

 years, it will be a serious question whether the pro- 

 duce of the country can be kept up so as to supply 

 the wants of the inhabitants. 



Where is the farmer that followed the plow fifty 

 years ago, that does not remember the floclis of birds 

 that crowded the furrows of the newly turned up 

 earth, devouring every grub and worm that was ex- 

 posed to the surface? They seemed to be fearless of 

 man, each one appearing anxious to be nearest to the 

 foot of the plowman to destroy his inveterate and in- 

 sidious enemies. Now what has become of those 

 faithful guardians of our property? The answer to 

 this question can be given by every farmer in the 

 country. As soon as they begin to make their nests 

 in the spring, a set of idle, miscreant boys commence 

 annoying them, take their eggs, and often destroy 

 their nests ; and at all seasons of the year a set of 

 ruthless vagabonds prowl through every neighbor- 

 hood, with their guns, ever ready to shoot down a 

 robin.catbird, 8{)arrow,and even the diminutive, harm- 

 less wren, either of which are rendering more service 

 to community, in proportion to their abihty, than 

 their numerous persecutors. 



In addition to the important usefulness of these 

 birds, their musical notes in 'the twilight of the 

 morning, are peculiarly delightful; awaking the farm- 

 er to the sublime contemplation and enjoyment of all 

 the infinite beauties of creation. What is more plea- 

 sing to a lover of nature, than to rise at the dawn of 

 day in the month of May or June, and when sallying 

 forth, 10 be greeted and cheered with the lively notes 

 of the sparrow, the melodious song of the robin, and 

 the musical and queer notes of the bobolink? 



Birds are the best of entomologists. No ornitho- 

 logist ever hunted sj)ecimen birds with the industry 

 and perseverance exhibited by birds themselves in 

 their researches. " They desport in the air," says a 

 writer, " penetrate everj* nook and corner of thicket, 

 htsdge and shrubbery; they search the bark, pierce 

 the dead wood, glean the surface of the boil, watch 

 for the spade trench, and follow the plowman after 

 ■worms and larvae. A single bird in one season des- 

 troys millions of insects for its own food and for that 



of its own nest. No computation can be made of 

 the insects which birds can devour. We cannot think 

 of another theme more inspiriting ihan the plowing 

 ficason in this respect. You will find bluebirds in the 

 tops of trees, practicing the scale; crows are cawing 

 as they lazily swing through the air toward their com- 

 panions in the tops of distant dead and dry trees; 

 robins and blackbirds are wide awake, searching every 

 clod th^t the plow turns, and venturesome almost to 

 the farmer's heels." 



Birds are also the best of scavengers, the nimblest 

 hunters, and adroit butchers. They have no Graham- 

 ite scruples to agitate this worm and bug-loving tribe. 

 They do not show their teeth to prove that they were 

 designed for meat. They eat what they like, wipe 

 their mouth on a limb, return thanks in a song, and 

 wing their way to a quiet nook, to dose or meditate, 

 snug from the hawk that sails about in the air above. 

 To be sure, birds like men, have a relish for variety. 



Birds are likew;;t', the best of pomologists. We 

 charge every man and boy with positive cruelty and 

 dishonesty, who drives the birds from the garden in 

 fruit time. Does not the fruit belong to them as well 

 as you? Did they not watch and take care of it as 

 well as you? If they had not eaten egg, worm and 

 bug, your fruit would have been pierced and ruined. 

 Besides, on investigation it has been discovered that 

 they never disturb sound cherries, and none but those 

 that have worms in them. We say proteet and spare 

 the birds, and they will destroy millions of your great- 

 est and worst enemies — the insects. 



" There is scarcely a farm in Eugland,"says a writer, 

 "without its rookery; the humid atmosphere multi- 

 plies every species of insect, and those birds reward 

 man for his forbearance and protection, by ridding 

 him of legions of his foes." 



Treat the birds kindly and they will become almost 

 domesticated — follow the plowman, and pick, up all 

 the grubs and worms turned up from their subterranean 

 abode. For doing so they deserve well of the farmer, 

 and no honest man will cheat them out of their part 

 of the crop — much less kill them for trying to get it 

 We repeat again, spare the hirds. 



In vain will be all our labor and toil; in vain the 

 united efforts of the horticultural societies for increas- 

 ing and perfecting the cultivation of the most deli- 

 cious varieties of fruit, unless we can increase or at 

 least cease to diminish these useful and melodious 

 birds. 



We would appeal to the self-interest of the own-ers 

 and cultivators of land. They muse surely be igno- 

 rant of the injury which is in progress when they al- 

 low it to go on unreproved before tht'ir eyes. We 

 would also appeal to their own selfishness and love of 

 gain, if no higher motive will leach them, and entreat 

 them, as their influence gives them opportunity, to 

 lend themselves to a work, the first conseciueuce of 

 which will be their own welfare; the second, the wel- 

 fare of their country. They are supreme, each one 

 over their own territory, be it large or small. Let 

 them resist and punit^h every trespass of the wanton 

 slaughterers of birds: let them declare war against 

 the whole tribe of truant murderers, whose daily sport 

 is the spoiling of the nest, the invention of new, and 

 the use of their old and destructive snares, and the 

 more immediate devastations of the gun. Let our 

 sturdy farmers hold themselves forth as steadfast re- 

 sisters of eveiy such act, and particularly of every en- 

 croachment for this purpose, upon the lauds for which, 



