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 average cat 
on the farm kills but ten birds a year, and that there is one 
cat to each farm in Massachusetts, we have, in round num- 
bers, seventy thousand cats killing seven hundred 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. 
1 Probably there are some farms on which no cats are kept, but on one farm 
in Worcester County thirteen are quartered and on another sixteen. 
