48 



The Canadian Field-Naturaust 



[Vol. XXXVI 



The problem of keeping out foreign pests is one 

 that has received much attention of recent years, 

 but its importance can hardly be over-estimated. 

 This is especially true of insects, though the folly 

 of indiscriminately introducing birds or mammals 

 has also been amply demonstrated and every 

 care should be taken to avoid a repetition of it. 



A moment's thought will show that the old 

 conditions have passed away never to return. 

 Civilization has spread over the land almost like 

 a pestilence, and, as it has become established in 

 the new country, it has swept from the face of it 

 many of the creatures that formerly dwelt there. 

 The buffalo had to go, just as it would seem must 

 the elk from our cultivated areas. Others may 

 have to follow such as the wolf and coyote, but 

 we should proceed very slowly even with the 

 destruction of predatory animals until we can 

 definitely ascertain what their place is in the 

 scheme of nature. It may be difficult to exter- 

 minate but to replace is impossible. The exter- 

 mination of any creature from the world in which 

 it has won a place is a responsibility which we 

 should consider very seriously. We should 

 remember too, that conditions change and as 

 they do so they alter the economic status of many 

 things, animals included. 



Much irreparable harm has already been done 

 by thoughtless or selfish slaughter of native 

 animals. The Passenger Pigeon has apparently 

 gone for ever. Ruthlessly destroyed to a 

 point where it could no longer withstand the 

 natural enemies with which it had to contend, it 

 has thus vanished from our fauna and left us so 

 much poorer. Others are in danger of a similar 

 fate. The Whooping Crane is on the point of 

 extinction now, the Snowy Owl has dwindled to 

 a mere remnant of its former numbers, in this 

 case due to a mania for collecting, as a casual 

 examination of our country hotels will show. 



Before we finally decide on the destruction of 

 any species we should remember that even pre- 

 datory animals of the worst type have their uses 

 and that they are at times actually of value in 

 destroying some of our useful species. Among 

 all creatures are a certain percentage which fall 

 sick; such animals are naturally weaker than 

 their healthy companions and for this reason 

 they are more apt to fall prey to the carnivorous 

 creatures on the lookout for food. The sickly 

 grouse, flying more slowly, is caught by the 

 Goshawk; an unhealthy deer is more readily 

 overtaken by wolves. But in destroying these 

 the predators are performing a useful act in as 

 much as they are eliminating the unfit and pre- 

 venting the spread of disease. Were there no 

 animals to carry on this work, it is possible that 



disease would become more prevalent, and for 

 this reason we might actually defeat the ends we 

 had in view by exterminating predatory animals. 



As we have already pointed out, the restriction 

 of breeding areas by cultivation and grazing is a 

 serious matter, as by it our friends the birds are 

 often banished while our insect and rodent ene- 

 mies are encouraged. These conditions are, 

 unfortunately, apt to become worse with ground- 

 loving birds, but with others it need not be so; 

 and with tree-loving species, at least, there is no 

 reason why the old balance should not be restored. 

 To accomplish this every farmer should establish 

 a tree belt, preferably near the farm buildings. 

 To make the belt attractive to birds, large trees 

 should border small ones. Deciduous trees as 

 well as evergreens should be planted, also all the 

 available berry-bearing shrubs whose fruit form 

 a staple diet for many birds after the nesting 

 season is over, or when insects become scarce. 

 A few small boxes erected on trees or posts will 

 form attractive nesting places for Wrens, Tree 

 Swallows, Flickers and Blue Birds. Finally, a 

 water trough is important for the birds to drink 

 at and bath in. Such a plantation, with the ad- 

 ditions mentioned, would increase the range of 

 many of our birds and their numbers would be 

 multiplied a hundredfold. There would be found 

 the Catbird singing softly in the early morn, the 

 Robin and Oriole in their attractive plumage, the 

 Kingbird, Yellow Warbler, House Wren and 

 many others all adding to the beauties of the 

 landscape and the pleasures of the home. But, 

 apart from the aesthetic side, they would prove 

 of incalculable value as destroyers of noxious 

 insects, thus assisting to restore the balance 

 which man upset in the first place. 



Another important factor in restoring bird 

 life should be provided; not, however, by the 

 individual but by the state. This consists of 

 setting aside areas for wild life sanctuary, where 

 the creatures within them can multiply unhamp- 

 ered and as they do so spread over the surrounding 

 country to gather in the pests now so prevalent. 

 Much has already been done along this line, but 

 too much can hardly be accomplished. Every 

 district should have its sanctuary as a permanent 

 breeding centre and the farmers must understand 

 that such areas are almost as important for their 

 welfare as is the maintenance of their flocks. 

 Sport must become secondary to agricultural 

 interests and the depletion of our country of 

 game birds, particularly grouse, should be made 

 impossible. There should also be a greater 

 consideration for predatory animals. The original 

 food of coyotes, for instance, was made up largely 

 of rabbits, gophers and mice, all of which do much 



