ORNITHOLOGIST 



[Vol. 9-No. 8 



THE 



ORNITHOLOGIST 



— AND — 



OOLOGIST. 



A MONTHLY MAGAZINE OF 



NATURAL HISTORY, 



ESPECIALLY DEVOTED TO THE STUDY OP 



BIRDS, 



THEIR NESTS AND EGGS. 



DESIGNED AS A MEANS FOR THE INTERCHANGE OF NOTES 

 AND OBSERVATIONS ON BIRD LIFE. 



FRANK B. WEBSTER, Publisher, 

 PAWTUCKET, E. I. 



Editor's Notes. 



In accordance with the desire of several 

 of our subscribers who are interested in 

 Entomology, we have determined to add a 

 few notes every month on that science, 

 with the expectation that an interest may 

 thereby be awakened in it for all our read- 

 ers. We hope none of our friends will 

 consider this an unwelcome departure from 

 our recognized sjaecialty. We have given 

 every month since we took charge of the 

 magazine, a larger amount of matter than 

 our readers were promised, and therefore 

 think that any of them who can take no 

 interest in Entomology, ought not to ob- 

 ject to its being afforded a part of the 

 surplus space. 



To give a practical interest to our new 

 subject, we suggest to our Entomological 

 friends the study of the "Buffalo Moth." 

 This moth is adding a new terror to house- 

 keepers in Ehode Island, by its wholesale 

 depredations. Such information as any of 

 our correspondents may give as to its ori- 

 gin and nature, also the best means of de- 

 stroying it, will be both interesting and 

 useful to many. 



We give space to Mr. Frederic A. Lucas 

 for a criticism of our remarks on the De- 



struction of Birds for millinery purposes. 

 The subject is one of very general inter- 

 est, and his remarks may elicit further ex- 

 pressions of opinions. With this view, 

 we- postpone what we may have to say 

 further, merely remarking at present that 

 the "nicely adjusted machinery of nature'' 

 is subjected to other trials besides the de- 

 struction of insectivorous birds. In New 

 England, we hazard little in saying that 

 the present annual "hatch" of English 

 Sparrows, is equal to a season's destruction 

 of birds for the purpose referred to. 

 These must have an effect of a very marked 

 character. On the other hand, the increase 

 of population tends naturally to develop 

 and increase many forms of insect life. 



The Destruction of Birds for Millin- 

 ery Purposes. 



Editor of the Oologist. Sir : — Will you 

 kindly excuse me if I take exception to 

 the remarks of yours in the June number 

 where in speaking of the destruction of 

 birds for millinery purposes, you say that 

 " the grievance is purely sentimental" and 

 that " birds of prey are far more destruc- 

 tive than either collectors or professional 

 taxidermists." The grievance is something 

 more than sentimental, since the Oriole 

 and the greater number of our bright 

 plumaged birds not only feed then- young 

 on insects, but are insectivorous them- 

 selves, and if the birds are lessened the 

 insects increase. Now it must be borne in 

 mind that where an insect escapes it means 

 not merrily one insect the more to contend 

 with, but that insect plus all its progeny, 

 a fact of considerable importance consid- 

 ering the number of young which each 

 pair of insects naturally produces. More- 

 over the machinery of nature is so nicely 

 adjusted that any interference with it is 

 apt to produce wider reaching results than 

 are at first suspected. When the natural 

 checks on any animal are removed, that 

 animal is given an advantage which it is 

 not slow in following up. 



