CHECKS UPON INCREASE OF USEFUL BIRDS. 363 



sickening. The number of birds killed by them in this 

 State is appalling. 



It is quite true, however, that some cats do not kill many 

 birds, and that some intelligent or high-bred cats may be 

 taught not to kill any. Some cat lovers believe that each 

 cat kills on the average not more than ten birds a year ; 

 but I have learned of two instances where more than that 

 number were killed in a single day, and another where 

 seven were killed. If we assume, however, that the aver- 

 age cat on the farm kills but ten birds a year, and that there 

 are two cats to each farm in Massachusetts, we have, in 

 round numbers, seventy thoiisand cats killing seven hun- 

 dred thousand birds annually.^ 



If we add to the cats kept on farms the enormous number 

 of village and city cats, many of which have good oppor- 

 tunities for catching birds, we shall see the chief reason for 

 great mortality to birds and their young about our villages 

 and cities. If cats are allowed their liberty at night during 

 the nesting season, they, unnoticed, rob many birds' nests. 

 The cat is more dangerous to birds than is any native mam- 

 mal that roams our woods, for it is nocturnal, a splendid 

 climber, a good stalker, a strong leaper, and is very quick 

 and active. Unfortunately, the cat is only half domesti- 

 cated, and easily goes back to a wild state. If the dog 

 loses its master it will soon find another, but the mature 

 cat is more likely to run wild. Thousands- of these wild 

 or half-wild cats roam the country, destroying game birds, 

 squirrels, field mice, chickens, and any animal they can 

 master. The effect produced by cats is convincingly shown 

 where they have been introduced on islands, and have nearly 

 exterminated rabbits and greatly decreased the numbers of 

 birds. John Burroughs says that cats probably destroy more 

 birds than all other animals combined. William Dutcher, 

 president of the National Association of Audubon Societies, 

 considers the wild house cat one of the greatest causes of 

 bird destruction known. He says that the boy with the air 

 gun is not in the same class with the cat. 



' Probably there are some farms on which no cats are kept, but on one farm 

 in Worcester Comity thirteen are quartered and on another sixteen. 



