CHAPTER XXXVII 



BIRD PROTECTION 1 



It has been evident for some time that the number of birds 

 has been rapidly decreasing, and efforts have been made to learn 

 the cause of this so that protective measures could be under- 

 taken. The enemies of birds are chiefly man and other animals. 



i. The Destruction of Birds 



The Destruction of 

 Birds by Man. — Man 



is responsible for the ex- 

 tinction of many species 

 of birds or for their dis- 

 appearance from great 

 tracts of country. He 

 cuts down the forest and 

 drives out the larger 

 wood birds. He de- 

 stroys the birds that 

 injure his crops or flocks. 

 He introduces animals 

 which destroy birds, 

 and he shoots for food, 

 money, or sport. It is 

 only since civilized man 

 reached this country that the great auk has become extinct, 

 and that the passenger pigeon (Fig. 260), which roamed in 



1 A large part of this chapter is quoted direct from Forbush's Useful Birds and 

 their Protection. 



382 



Fig. 260. — Passenger pigeon. (The bird 

 with the long tail.) (Photo, by Hegner.) 



