BIRDS OF MASSACHUSETTS. 277 



themselves in the vicinity of man. For this reason, the great 

 proportion of them do not come near us ; and those which do, 

 are more likely to render service by destroying field-mice and 

 similar animals, than to make themselves odious by plundering 

 the farm. Instead, therefore, of waging a war of extermina- 

 tion against them, it is our interest, if not to encourage, at 

 least to let them alone. 





OMNIVOROUS BIRDS. 



Before proceeding to describe the omnivorous birds, which 

 come next in the proposed order, it may not be amiss to make 

 some remarks on the practice of destroying them, which pre r 

 vails to a great extent in our state. Sometimes it is deliber- 

 ately done, by those who wish to secure their orchards and 

 gardens ; and, in such cases, there is a right, no doubt, to pre- 

 vent aggressions, if possible. But far more are killed every 

 year by wanton boys, who, without any reason but their own 

 pleasure, are permitted to indulge in a cruel amusement, from 

 which every man of sense and feeling should carefully with- 

 hold his children. Any one who can find sport in giving pain 

 to animals, needs to be taught the first principles of humanity ; 

 and, lightly as this matter is regarded, it is certain that this 

 thoughtless indulgence always depraves the moral feeling 

 more or less, and leads on to the formation of habits of idle- 

 ness which are not easily broken in after years. In a busy 

 country like ours, there are few, beyond the age of boy-hood, 

 who have time for play ; a civilized man is supposed to find 

 his enjoyments in his duties ; and if he needs relaxation, he 

 can find it without torturing animals, whose right to happiness 

 is as good as his own. 



It is, however, in the light of utility, that this subject can 

 be most forcibly presented; and it will be seen, that, to exter- 

 minate birds which do a little harm occasionally, is to protect 



