12 



PROTECTION. 



In food habits, birds are eminently adaptable; seeds, plants, fruit, 

 insects, flesh, or fish are all acceptable to various species and, consequently, 

 nearly all regions have their quota of appropriate birds. A bird lives fast, 

 its heart beats more rapidly than that of other animals, the blood temper- 

 ature is higher, and it consumes an enormous amount of energy in flight. 

 This feverish heat and strenuous exertion requires a correspondingly large 

 amount of food, consequently the bird as an economic factor is one to be 

 regarded seriously. Though it may be an exaggeration to say, as some 

 writers have inferred, that the whole balance of nature depends upon 

 birds and that without them the country would be a barren waste peopled 

 only by insects, yet birds cannot be seriously reduced in number without 

 the gravest results. The destruction of tons of weed-seeds and milhons 

 of insects must necessarily have a great influence upon human welfare and 

 neglect of this fact must seriously react upon any community that fails 

 to give proper protection to its birds. 



However, the problem of the status of individual species of birds 

 is not the simple thing that it superficially appears to be. More than 

 a cursory examination is necessary and many things must be considered 

 in order to arrive at the truth. Sometimes birds work in harmony with 

 human welfare and sometimes against it. They may be directly beneficial 

 at one season and harmful at another, or their indirect influence may alter 

 the sum of their direct effects in a most surprising manner. 



General impressions then as to whether a bird is beneficial or harmful 

 require careful checking. Mere casual observation in hfe is never sufficient 

 to determine even its food supply. Modern practice bases such conclusions 

 almost entirely upon the examination of the stomach contents of wild 

 birds taken throughout the year, which is the only evidence that is not 

 subject to question. In this work the United States Biological Survey 

 has examined and passed upon thousands of bird stomachs and the results 

 of its researches are available to those who care to study and use them. 



As one of the factors in the delicate balance of nature birds should 

 be respected. 



There are certain birds which from their size, habits, and general food 

 value are regarded as legitimate game. The pursuit of these is invigorating 

 sport and tends to the healthful welfare of the sportsman, teaching wood- 

 craft, hardihood, out of door adaptabihty, and marksmanship. The true 

 sportsman has a code of ethics of his own founded upon economic as well 

 as humanitarian principles.' He shoots nothing without giving it a fair 

 chance and httle that cannot be used as food. He is also careful not to 

 deplete the game upon which his future sport depends. Restrictive 

 measures have invariably followed rather than preceded the results that 

 have made them necessary, the regulations that are enacted to-day should 

 have been adopted yesterday and the consequence is that over much of the 

 country, game is a thing of the past. 



MEANS OF ATTRACTING BIRDS. 



To anyone interested in birds, the pleasure of having them about 

 the house and garden where they can be observed at leisure, is a very great 

 enjoyment. A small garden patch can be made attractive to many species 



