food for either themselves or their young, and the majority of them left this region. 

 The Martin houses, when cleaned out, were found to contain young, eggs and some 

 adults that had starved rather than desert their family. The Martins did not return 

 in 1904 or 1905. 



Birds are subject to a great many accidents, chiefly caused by flying into objects 

 at night. Telephone and telegraph wires maim or kill thousands, while lighthouses 

 and steeples often cause the ground to be strewn with bodies during migrations. 

 Other accidents are caused by storms, fatigue while crossing large bodies of water, 

 nests falling from trees because of an insecure support, and ground nests being trod 

 upon by man, horses and cattle. 



In the vicinity of cities, towns, villages or farms, one of the most fertile sources 

 of danger to bird life is from cats. Even the most gentle household pet, if allowed 

 its liberty out of doors, will get its full quota of birds during the year, while home- 

 less cats, and many that are not, will average several hundred birds apiece during 

 the season. After years of careful observation, Mr. E. H. Forbush, Mass, state orni- 

 thologist, has estimated that the average number of birds killed, per cat population, 

 is about fifty. If a dog kills sheep or deer, he is shot and the owner has to pay dam- 

 ages; if a man is caught killing a bird, he pays a fine; but cats are allowed to roam 

 about, without restriction, leaving death and destruction in their wake. All homeless 

 cats should be summarily dealt with, and all pets should be housed, at least from 

 May until August, when the young birds are able to fly. 



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