1838. _ HOUSE—No. 72. 33 
ble, are busy throughout the summer torturing our beasts to madness, 
and destroying the comfort of man. ‘The birds are the instruments 
commissioned to keep down their numbers, and if they are exter- 
minated, how is this work to be done ? It may be said, that, if the 
injurious birds are destroyed, harmless ones will still labor in that 
vocation ; but the misfortune is that all together are not sufficient for 
the purpose, and if any are exterminated, the evil will grow. 
It is well known, that the cultivation of fruit is regarded as hope- 
less by many, and found discouraging by all who attempt it. And 
the reason is, not that the birds plunder the trees, but that insects 
destroy them. ‘The insects then, and not the birds, are the proper 
subjects of extermination. Means may be found to prevent the 
birds from taking more than their portion of the fruit, but it is not 
probable that human agency can contend with the millions of the 
insect race. If so, we are taking the part of our enemies against 
our friends ; and it may be our persecution of the birds, which has 
caused the insects to increase in numbers to such an extent, that 
many doubt, whether, under present circumstances, the more deli- 
cate kinds of fruit are worth the trouble and expense of cultivation. 
Such are one or two of the practical objects of the survey, which 
deserve and will receive attention. Many intelligent observers are 
constantly engaged in this study, and every month adds something 
to the amount of our information on the subject ; so that enough will 
be gained in point of accuracy and completeness, to compensate for 
any loss of time. . 
