36 



IOWA ORNITHOLOGIST. 



ed to be about two million dollars. 

 Does this not prove that the rap- 

 tores as a class are beneficial ? 



The robin is a bird that has in- 

 curred the enmity of gardeners. 

 The horticulturists near Boston 

 sent a petition to the legislature 

 requesting that the robin be taken 

 from the list of protected birds. 

 An investigating committee was 

 appointed who found by examin- 

 ing robins" stomachs that nine- 

 tenths of its food consists of an 

 injurious larvae, proving beyond all 

 doubt that the bird was a great 

 benefactor. 



A gentleman from Michigan 

 who signs himself "Amicus 

 Avium" has given special atten- 

 tion to the phoebe and has esti- 

 mated the amount that this bird 

 annually saves the stale. One 

 pair of birds from March i 5th to 

 October ist, rears two broods or 

 ten birds. Each bird eats thirty 

 insects an hour eight hours a day. 

 The gentleman then finds the en- 

 tire number of insects destroyed 

 and estimates that if they were 

 permitted to live, each one would 

 do one-thousandth of a cent dam- 

 age to fruit, grain or lumber. 

 Allowing one and a half pair of 

 birds for every square mile in the 

 state, would make a saving of 

 over three and one-fourth million 

 dollars. 



I have dealt with only a few 

 species, but have tried to select 

 those that deal with the entire 

 feathered tribe. 



Now if we grant that birds are 

 useful, let us turn to the second 

 head of our subject. 



No one wishes to leave the for- 

 ests and prairies in their primi- 

 tive condition for the sake of the 

 birds, even vvhen he knows the 

 progress of civilization has caused 

 and will continue to cause a de- 

 crease in American bird popula- 

 tion. We know that there were 

 the same avicular cannibals be- 

 fore the advent of the white man, 

 as there are to-day, but it will 

 take a long time before the hawks 

 or blue jays or cow birds can ex- 

 terminate a single species. It is 

 of greater evil-workers that I 

 wish to speak. 



First is the English Sparrow. 

 These disreputable Britons were 

 brought here to destroy the span- 

 worm, and they must be credited 

 with having done their work well. 

 A limited number might be a 

 good thing, but surely their intro- 

 duction has proved a case where 

 "remedy is worse than disease." 

 A few years ago these birds were 

 sold for four dollars a pair, and 

 now I do not know but what one 

 could be supplied with them at 

 four cents a pair, so rapidly have 



