THE DECREASE OF BIRDS IN SOUTH CAROLINA 



The people of South Carolina are now called upon by the 

 inexorable logic of conditions to face and answer a very 

 serious question. That question is: Shall we take the 

 action necessary to save our remnant of wild birds and 

 game on a reasonable and permanent basis, or shall we re- 

 main passive and permit all of it to be destroyed forever? 



It is an undisputed fact that the prosperity of the State 

 and nation depends on successful agriculture. Therefore, 

 whatever assists in the production of crops has a money 

 value in proportion to the degree of assistance rendered. 

 The result of the study of the relation of birds to agricul- 

 ture made by government experts shows that birds are 

 among the farmers' best friends. Mr. Henry W. Hen- 

 shaw, Chief of the Bureau of Biological Survey, is 

 authority for this statement: "So great is their value from 

 a practical standpoint as to lead to the belief that were it 

 not for birds successful agriculture would be impossible/ ' 



Birds are busy everywhere and at all times: in the water 

 and on the land; in low bushes and on the tree-tops; on 

 the trunks and branches of trees and in the air. Some 

 work by day, others by night. Some are scavengers; 

 others check the ravages of disease-carrying insects. Some 

 feed on insect pests which attack crops; others are noxious 

 weed seed destroyers. Some protect fruit and forest trees; 

 others are very destructive to harmful rodents such as 

 mice and rats. 



If the birds' work in nature be of so much importance, 

 bird conservation should become a part of the constructive 

 work of the State, and any agency or condition which 

 tends to reduce the bird population below the limits neces- 

 sary to hold in check the countless hordes of injurious in- 

 sects, should be considered inimical to the best interests 

 of the whole people. 



