BULLETIN 
OF THE 
WISCONSIN NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY 
Vol. 11 DECEMBER, 1913. No. 4 
PROCEEDINGS 
Milwaukee, Wis., April 24, 1913. 
Regular meeting. 
Vice-President Dernehl in the chair. Forty-nine persons present. 
Minutes of last meeting read and approved. The name of Henry C. Tracy, 
Marquette University Medical School, was presented for active membership; 
and was referred to the board of directors for action. 
The lecture for the evening was given by Mr. A. C. Burrill, Assistant 
State Entomologist; the subject being “What the Community may do for 
Our Birds.” Mr. Burrill emphasized the value of birds in helping to pre- 
vent insect plagues; and our consequent duty in the increase of bird life in 
Wisconsin. The annual loss due to insect pests seems to have increased in 
late years; at the same time the number of native insectivorous birds has 
decreased. 
The amount of spraying has also increased. The spraying method does 
not seem to be very successful in permanently holding the pests in check. 
We must give more attention to natural checks. A number- of entomologists 
now believe that birds are the most important of the natural checks. Birds 
are more a preventative, the parasite checks more effective when the plagues 
are established. 
Wisconsin, with its central location, can hardly escape the introduction 
of some of the pests that are doing great damage in other states, e.g., the 
brown-tail moth. Therefore, the best precaution, in addition to having 
rigid inspection laws, is to increase the bird population. 
The proper protection of birds depends upon public sentiment. Public 
sentiment can best be aroused by creating a greater love of nature. We 
are at the beginning of what might be called an age of bird conservation. 
Community cooperation: Bird protection laws are not sufficient. We 
must wage active warfare against bird enemies such as the English sparrows 
and the cats. . The number of English sparrows has increased to nearly 40 
per cent of the total bird population. This sparrow does great damage to 
the native birds, and is not half as effective in the destruction of insects 
as the birds it displaces. The cat, especially the tramp cat, is one of the 
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