THE OREGON SPORTSMAN 



sects; the food of the meadowlark consists of seventy-five per 

 cent of injurious insects and twelve per cent of weed seed ; spar- 

 rows and finches eat a large amount of weed seed. Prof. F. E. L. 

 Beal showed by the examination of the stomachs of tree sparrows 

 that they ate a quarter of an ounce of weed seed daily. In a 

 state the size of Iowa, tree sparrows alone consumed more than 

 800 tons of weed seed annually. This, with the work of other 

 weed seed-eating birds, saves the farmer a large amount of labor. 

 Nuthatches and chickadees scan every part of the trunks and 

 limbs of the trees for insect eggs. Harmful beetles in our great 

 Oregon forests are yearly destroying a large amount of timber. 

 These wild birds are the only natural check to prevent this. In 

 a day's time a chickadee has been known to eat hundreds of in- 

 sect eggs and worms that are harmful to trees and vegetables. 

 Warblers and vireos hunt the leaves and buds for moths and 

 millers. Flycatchers, swallows and nighthawks are busy day and 

 night destroying the flies about the farm that annoy man and 

 beast. Many of our hawks and owls are working quietly day and 

 night catching mice, moles, gophers and squirrels. 



Is It Not a Good Investment. 



Fishing and hunting is a business proposition to the farmer, 

 the fruit grower, the timberman and every other land owner in 

 the state. Our people need outdoor life and recreation. As an 

 outdoor state, Oregon is becoming more and more a drawing 

 card for a desirable class of tourists who have money to spend 

 and money to invest. They come for enjoyment. They angle in 

 our mountain streams. They see our wonderful forests of fir and 

 pine. They cross our valleys and see our fertile farms. They 

 come to play — they return to stay. 



The money spent by tourists and others in railroad fares, 

 hotel accommodations, employment of guides, purchase of equip- 

 ment and supplies and other items, amounts to a large sum every 

 year — money that goes directly into the pockets of our citizens. 



From an economic and business standpoint, to say nothing 

 of their aesthetic value, the game and other wild creatures of 



Pftgpe four 



