USEFUL ANIMALS 91 



tally upon insect life during the summer months. Almost all 

 birds in summer time, especially the so-calied song birds are use- 

 ful and many are so highly useful as to be almost invaluable. 

 Every farmer can well afford to put himself out to encourage 

 the birds. In many treeless localities a clump of trees or a plum 

 thicket would attract them. It is an excellent plan to place water 

 in such a position as to be accessible for drinks. Cats which are 

 not valuable "mousers" ought by all means to be destroyed. 



(b) Carnk-ors: Coyotes, hawks and other animals of prey 

 are valuable as destroyers of rodents such as rabbits, mice and 

 gophers. In regions where there are no sheep, and where reason- 

 able precautions are taken with the poultry, even coyotes are use- 

 ful animals. 



(c) Seed eaters: Many of the birds subsist chiefly on seed, 

 except during the summer months. All kinds of seed is eaten, 

 but since the most available ones are usually seeds of weeds the 

 birds are very effective weed destroyers. The flock of sparrows, 

 usually of several species, flushed from the weed patches in fall 

 and spring are doing a good work for the farmer and should be 

 appreciated. 



(d) As sources of food. Rabbits are always good food 

 though without a doubt, young rabbits and those not having 

 ''grubs" are most attractive. Ducks, geese and snipe are all ex- 

 cellent food. It is indeed a short sighted person, that kills these 

 birds in the spring after breeding is under way. Grouse and 

 bobwhites or quail present first class flesh. They however are 

 exceedingly valuable as destroyers of grasshoppers. Let anyone 

 who maintains that these birds eat much grain before it is har- 

 vested, examine the crops of such as are available. Since these 

 birds have practically no bad faults, and have such excellent 

 qualities, as sources of food and as destroyers of insects, it would 

 indeed be a pity to have them exterminated. 



4. XATIVE PLANTS AS INDICATORS OF AGRICULTURAL POSSIBILITIES. 

 "Land which bears a pure short-grass cover was found to be 

 supplied with water in the surface foot or two of soil only, and 

 usually even to that depth for but a brief period during spring and 

 early summer. Land with a uniform cover of tall grasses was 

 found to be supplied with water to a much greater depth and to 

 offer conditions favorable for plant growth during a much longer 



