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2-10-33 



~ell , McAtee^ s testimony liits some of the guilt from the shoulders of the 

 fox. But what about the heron? You remember we condemned the heron as vermin 

 "because we found it eating one trout. 



True enough! Perhaps the heron DOSS pick up a trout now and then. But let' 

 "be fair to that beautiful blue bird of the rivers and marshes. HcAtee tells us 

 that trout is not all , or even a large part , of the heron's diet. Just watch one 

 of those long-legged birds as it wades aroxad in the shallow water, thrusting 

 its long, sharp bill beneath the surface after a fleeting streak: of silver. More 

 often than not, it will come up with a "coarse" fish; that is, some fish other 

 than those relished bv man as game fishes. The coarse fishes are the trout' s and 

 other game fishes' worst enemies. They are the biggest obstacle we meet when we 

 try to restock our lal-es and streams. Then, as the heron steps out of the water 

 onto the banlc, you'll see it snatch up manj^ insects, mice, pocket gophers, and 

 other creatures. So, we really find no reason to regard the heron as an enemy 

 of the trout or of any other kind of wild life. 



Likewise, as we get expert testimony about one aftei^ another of our so- 

 called vermin, we find little or no evidence supporting the charge that they are 

 destructive always and everywhere. It all depends on the local conditions. 



For instance, Doctor Dearborn, of the University of Michigan, has been 

 looking into the cliarges against some of Michigan's leading fur bearers. I'll 

 summarize for you what he has to say a.bout a few of them. 



Take the raccoon, for example. The 'coon tastes a little bit of every- 

 thing at one time or another. But more than half its diet is made up of craw- 

 fish. It also eats beetles and grasshoppers, acorns, grain, and fruit. 



Next, the stealthy, bloodthirsty wildcat. Certainly here we'll find a tru 

 enemy of our wild life. But no. These wildcats in Michigan make about 90 per 

 cent of their meals off of the plentiful, fast-breeding rabbit. Of course they 

 also get a few young deer and some other siaall game. In some parts of the coun- 

 try wild cats do a lot of damage to livestodc and poultry. But you can alwaj/s 

 tell when this is true. And just because the animal sometimes does damage this 

 way in some localities you shouldn't think that it ought to be exterminated every 

 where. 



T7ell, then, how about the weasel? ITeasels undoubtedly like chickens. 

 Leave the henhouse door open some night and a weasel may snatch a pullet or so 

 off the roost. The story of that one crime will live to shame the whole race of 

 weasels for all time. But, away from the barnyard the weasel is a most usefuL 

 little helper in keeping down field mice. 



In a similar way, Dearborn clears the reputation of the skunk and badger 

 in Michigan. And Mr. IvIcAtee tells me that what Dearborn found out in Michigan 

 is true of these animals in most other sections of the country. Sirunks live 

 pretty largely on insects; they do not bother game birds and bird eggs to any 

 great extent. Badgers live mostly on mice, with some rabbits and ground squirrel 

 for variety. 



All of the so-called vermin that Dearborn studied, except the 'possm and 

 mink, might well be called beneficial in Michigan., 



