24 THE TREES OF AMERICA. 



prevented by the intelligence and foresight of the governor, who obtained from 

 India the grackle, — a bird which first seeks for its food the larva of the locust, — 

 which in a short time devoured the destroyers. 



After their legitimate food disappeared, the grackle began to feed upon the eggs 

 and young of other birds, and also upon some of the crops, as om- crows and 

 some other species of birds do, when starved, by the farmers, whose best friends 

 they are. A law was then passed for the destruction of the grackle, and it was not 

 long before they disappeared entirely from the island. But soon the all-powerfal 

 locusts compelled the people to send to India again for their feathered friend ; 

 who is himself now kept within due bounds by laws allowing him to be killed 

 for food during certain seasons and under certain regulations. We have fre- 

 quently seen articles in the periodicals of the day, in which the writers contended 

 that certain kinds of birds did not destroy the caterpillars which infest our apple 

 trees, for instance, because they had never been seen to feed upon them, whereas 

 it is known to every naturalist that, in their perfect or insect state, these worms 

 are devoured by thousands by the birds thus gravely condemned. There is 

 no excuse for such mistakes, for every one knows that caterpillars turn into 

 moths or butterflies ; and it is well known, too, that the birds so barbarously 

 killed in what is called sport have their crops stuffed full of these very insects. 

 It is strange that beings claiming the possession of souls, as a distinction from 

 all other animals, and also to be the noblest work of the divine hand, can call 

 blood spilling, in any manner, sport. Can it be sport, indeed, to stop the joy- 

 ous life which seems born of music? to see lying at one's feet, all blood- 

 besprinkled and torn, the most wonderful organization of motion and music, 

 of beauty of color, and form, that it is possible for the human mind to conceive 

 of, or that the Deity has made I Is it a proud deed for a man to conquer a 

 tiny bird I a noble sport to take, for no cause, the life we can in no manner 

 restore \ Is the short-lived child of earth in this manner fitting himself for that 

 mysterious land beyond the " dark river " he must so soon explore % We could 

 almost say with Burns, to one who needlessly destroys the helpless crea- 

 tures he should rather be proud to protect, and thus show his claim to supe- 

 riority, — 



