Allen on Insectivorous Birds. 27 
for impartial study, and for a cautious balancing of the evidence ; 
for those who are least prepared to understand their own ignorance 
to give attention to some of the conditions of the problem. What 
the final outcome will be it is quite too early to predict ; what 
seems most probable is that while some insect-destroying birds 
may doubtless prove to be demonstrably beneficial to a greater or 
less extent, many others will prove to hold merely a neutral posi- 
tion, while a few may be found to be to a slight degree injurious. 
It is certainly time to abandon the ground that because certain 
birds subsist largely upon insects they are necessarily beneficial. 
It seems not improbable that the role of insectivorous birds, con- 
sidering the class collectively, will prove to be in no way econom- 
ically important, and that it will be safe to leave nature to adjust 
her own balance between birds and insects ; that undue inter- 
ference, either in the way of protection or of proscription, will 
tend rather to harm than to good But birds are to be considered 
not merely with regard to dollars and cents — to the production of 
grain and fruits ; they have their aesthetic relation, and, sentiment 
aside, we may long and wisely hesitate before outlawing even the 
few species that may seem to somewhat overbalance their services 
by indulgences which to some degree militate against man’s material 
interests. So much do they contribute to our higher enjoyment, 
to such a degree is their presence a pleasure, arid their influence 
ennobling, it would be an aspersion upon our civilization to even 
suppose that the time will soon come when public sentiment will 
demand for trifling cause the extirpation of creatures so thoroughly 
endowed with beauty, and with attributes that touch so deeply 
our inner life. While we may well look forward with deep in- 
terest to the results of thorough research in this direction, there 
seems little reason for anxiety, even on the part of those who 
would least welcome an unfavorable showing for their cherished 
favorites of the bird world. 
