PLEA FOR THE BIEDS. Ill 



If any species of birds were exterminated, those 

 tribes of insects, which are their natural food, would 

 become exceedingly abundant. Inasmuch as the atmos- 

 phere, if the swallows were to become extinct, would 

 be rendered unfit for respiration, by an increased multi- 

 tude of gnats and smaller insects, — so were the spar- 

 row tribes to become extinct, vegetation would imme- 

 diately suffer from an increase of caterpillars, curculios, 

 and other pests of our orchards. We may say the same 

 of other insects with relation to other birds. It is there- 

 fore plainly for the interest of the farmer and the horti- 

 culturist to use all means for the preservation of birds 

 of every species. There is no danger likely to arise 

 from their excessive multiplication. The number of 

 each species cannot exceed that limit, beyond which 

 they could not be supplied with their proper and natural 

 food. Up to this limit if they could always be pre- 

 served, our crops would be effectually secured from the 

 ravages of insects. The country would probably sup- 

 port double the present number of every species of 

 birds, which are kept down below their proper limits, by 

 accident, by the gun of the sportsman, and by the mis- 

 chievous cruelty of boys. 



Most of the smaller kinds of birds have a disposition 

 to congregate around our villages. You seldom find a 

 robin or a sparrow, during breeding time, in the deep 

 forest. It is the same with the insects that serve them 

 for food. There are tribes of insects that chiefly fre- 

 quent the wild woods ; these are the prey of wood- 

 peckers and their kindred species. There are others 

 which are abundant chiefly in our orchards and gar- 

 dens ; these are the prey of bluebirds, sparrows, wrens, 

 and other common and familiar birds. 



Man has the power to diminish the multitudes of 



