116 , BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



for the small birds, and even now, we occasionally read of the 

 great shooting matches in various localities in which thousands 

 of small birds are sacrificed. But in this country^ where the 

 minor details of agricultural economy have been lost sight of in 

 the pursuit of the greater interests, perhaps because they were 

 not appreciated, the importance of agricultural ornithology has 

 not been felt. 



I had intended to give some account of some of the observa- 

 tions that have been made in Europe concerning this interesting 

 subject, but shall have time for but a brief notice of some of 

 the experiments and observations that have been made to ascer- 

 tain the utility of some of their familiar birds. 



In a green-house three full-grown rose bushes were covered by 

 about two thousand of the aphis or plant louse, a titmouse was 

 introduced and allowed to roam about at freedom, and in the 

 space of a few hours the whole multitude of insects were con- 

 sumed, and the plants thoroughly cleansed. 



During the year 1848 an enormous quantity of the homhyx 

 dispar^ a well known enemy of their gardens and forests, had 

 devoured the foliage of the trees which, in some localities, were 

 quite bare. In the autumn, millions of their eggs were discov- 

 ered, enveloped in a sillcy sort of covering, and attached to the 

 trunks and branches. Many were removed ; but the hand of 

 man was powerless to work off the infliction, and the owners of 

 the trees resigned themselves to their loss. But on the approach 

 of winter the titmice and wrens paid daily visits to the affected 

 trees, and before spring had arrived the eggs of the insects were 

 entirely destroyed. A hungry redstart captured in a room, in 

 the space of one hour, six hundred flies. If this little bird 

 hunts but for two or three hours a day at this rate, we can see 

 the immense amount of good it does. 



" Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, being very fond of 

 cherries, one day ordered a general crusade against the sparrow 

 tribe, some of them having ventured to pick at his favorite fruit. 

 A price of six pfennings a brace were set on them consequently 

 throughout Prussia. The war was briskly carried on, and so 

 successfully, that at the end of two years, not only were cherries 

 wanting, but most other fruits. The trees were covered with 

 caterpillars, and completely stripped of leaves ; insects had 

 increased to an alarming extent, for other birds had been fright- 



