1154 Canadian Forestry Journal, June, 1917 



keen detectives picked out with one little paw hand, a white grub; and with 

 much chattering among themselves and a curious, investigating sort of man- 

 ner in looking the prize over. Sir Grub was quickly eaten, and the next hill 

 studied. 



In some mysterious way they seem to know just which hills contain the 

 destructive but delicious grub; and these only are opened. 



Moths were chased, as a kitten chases a feather; and when caught, as 

 they nearly always were, the skunk sat up, and holding the moth in one hand, 

 picked wings and legs ofT and threw them away; looked the stripped body over 

 carefully, then ate it, and proceeded to catch another. If the skunk visits 

 your garden in the night or early evening when the cabbage moths are busiest, 

 or opens a hill or two of squash or corn, your garden needed him, and was 

 better for his coming. If you and your dog would discreetly remain indoors 

 as he made his skirmish against your enemies, he would not annoy you with 

 his defensive, and would soon depart to the forest, there to resume his duties 

 as a valued worker in the forestry department, in defending our timber from 

 the enemy beetle. 



We must not forget, in passing, our little friend the bat, who with the 

 "night hawk," skims the air through the night hours, while the swallows are 

 off duty. 



Working Day and Night Shifts 



As daylight dawns, these night guards retire to rest with stomachs and 

 crops well packed with insects; and as they go off duty, the swallows come on, 

 and so the work in man's fight for existence is systematically carried on by 

 his little allies, whose slaughter of insects exceeds all computation, and even 

 exceeds the imagination. 



Even the hated cherry-bird, or Cedar Wax-Wing, whom I must admit 

 appears to be an enemy, is in truth a friend; and saves for man far more fruit 

 than he destroys through his warfare on insects and tree-destroying beetles. 

 It would pay the farmer well to plant more rows of cherry trees for the use 

 of the birds alone, as a trust and a reward for their services. 



Owls and hawks destroy rats, mice and moles; as well as beetles; enemies 

 whose damage could not be remedied with the price of a dozen hens from 

 each farmer. 



Sparrows destroy noxious weed seed; as do buntings, snowbirds, and 

 many others of the same species. 



Tree sparrows alone, in one small district are statistically reported to 

 have destroyed, in one season, 875 tons of noxious weed seed. 



]^ds' Eyes with Special Lenses 



Some tiny birds seek the eggs of insects; and are fitted, or armed, for 

 this particular duty by the Great Captain; so that they are given microscopic 

 lenses for their eyes; sharp claws to their feet, that they may cling to the bark 

 of trees and hang back down as they peer under and around leaves, twigs 

 and branches, in search of the, to us, invisible eggs which they destroy by 

 millions. 



The crows are scavenger birds, and work in the Health Department. 

 We might count them in, almost, as a medical corps; for, while they do not 

 cure sickness or wounds, they prevent sickness through the destruction of 

 decaying and foul matter, which would pollute the air and breed disease. 



The tiny humming bird lends a beak, and eats what he can of spiders 

 and insects. All stnall birds which perch on trees, fences or shrubs, or dart 

 through the air, are insect eaters, or weed destroyers, and should be protected 

 by mankind, shielded and cared for. 



I think that the saddest sight one recalls in bird slaughter, one which 

 cries aloud of treason to friendship and allied service, is the wanton slaughter 

 of woodpeckers. 



