158 PLEA FOR THE BIRDS. 



insects, birds, and quadrupeds. Man may with impunity 

 make a change of the vegetable productions, if he but al- 

 lows a certain freedom to Nature in her efforts to supply 

 the balance which he has disturbed. While man is em- 

 ployed in restocking the earth with trees and vegetables, 

 Nature endeavors to preserve her harmony by a new sup- 

 ply of birds and insects. A superabundance of either 

 might be fatal to certain tribes of plants. I believe the 

 insect races to be as needful in the order of creation as any 

 other part of Nature's works. The same may be said of 

 that innumerable host of plants denominated weeds. But 

 while man is endeavoring to keep down superfluities, he 

 may, by working blindly, cause the very evil he designs 

 to prevent. It is not easy to check the multiplication of 

 weeds and insects. These, in spite of all direct efforts to 

 check them, will increase beyond their just mean. This 

 calamity would not happen if we took pains to preserve 

 the feathered tribes, which are the natural checks to the 

 multiplication of insects and weeds. Birds are easily 

 destroyed : some species, indeed, are already nearly exter- 

 minated ; and all are kept down to such a limit as to 

 bear no just proportion to the quantity of insects that 

 supply them with food. 



Although birds are great favorites with man, there are 

 no animals, if we except the vermin that infest our dwell- 

 ings, that suffer such unremitted persecution. They are 

 everywhere destroyed, either for the table or for the 

 pleasure of the chase. As soon as a boy can shoulder a 

 gun, he goes out, day after day, in his warfare of exter- 

 mination against the feathered race. He spares the 

 birds at no season and in no situation. While thus 

 employed, he is encouraged by older persons, as if he 

 were ridding the earth of a pest. Thus do men promote 

 the destruction of one of the blessed gifts of Nature. 



If there be proof that any race of animals was ere- 



