BIRDS. 247 



For Canker-ixorms^ Caterpillars, and Curculis, see those 

 articles. 



See Peach-tree, for the methods of preventing the in- 

 juries done by a worm to that tree. 



For destroying the Black Bug, that eats into the pea, 

 see this article. 



BIRDS. 



As insects have increased greatly since the birds have 

 been thinned by the increased number of sportsmen, and 

 as we know that insects are the favorite food of most Itinds 

 of birds, particularly of the smaller kind: it would be 

 advantageous, therefore, to encourage the increase of 

 the feathered tribe, by all the means in our power. 



What immense numbers of these, our benefactors, 

 are a'lauall}'^ destroyed through mere wantonness and 

 cruelty, while we are constantly hearing of the ravages 

 of worms and bugs, in the various departments of vege- 

 tation. It is from small birds we are to look for assist- 

 ance ; their habits, wants and capacity quahfy them to 

 check and restrain the multiplication of insects. The 

 parents of one nest of young birds have been calculated 

 by some ingenious observer to destroy many thousands 

 of insects in one day, and thus at the commencement of 

 the warm season, one day's havoc prevents the exist- 

 ence of many millions. 



The destruction of vast fields of grain, by flies, in some 

 parts of our country, has been reasonably attributed to 

 the extermination of the birds. It has indeed been found 

 necessary to protect several species by law, but policy 

 and humanity require, that the protection should be 

 much farther extended. Some birds are pursued with 

 unsparing hostility, from erroneous notions of their per- 

 nicious habits. The woodpecker is of this class ; yet he 

 deserves the gratitude, instead of the ill will of man. — 

 He bores no trees, but those which are unsound, from 

 which he extracts the insects which are slowly effecting 

 their destruction. Linnoius relates an occurrence in 

 Sweden, which is pretty much to the point. Among the 

 birds of that country was a particular species, which the 

 country people apprehended were somewhat destructive 

 to their crops. They accordingly made war upon 



