BY THE WAYSIDE 
27 
ositivc that such birds as robins, 
f/ 
irushes, and I Baltimore orioles were 
■eping down worms and other insect 
zests in the overgrown rows of shade 
res along the river. Here one was 
flighted to come upon wild birds now 
ad then who appeared to be so so lit- 
e disturbed that they allowed one to 
,me pretty near before they forsook 
icir nests. Mr. Boerner instructs all 
is employees not to molest the birds 
ad the first one caught so doing loses 
.is job. 
; Similar conditions exist in the larger 
nrsery of W. E. Fancher of Corliss, 
Wisconsin, where T was delighted to 
nd three different nests of mourning 
oves located in the midst of his blocks 
jr large elm and other shade trees. Ex- 
fept in cases of epidemic of some par- 
jcular species, no state entomologist in 
ie limited time at his disposal can go 
) thoroughly over large blocks of grow- 
ig trees as these birds who make their 
omes there, and who must of neces- 
ty find their insectivorous diet in the 
i rr o un ding shrubbery. 
Mr. C. Oehlenschlager of Oconomo- 
oc also cherishes the friendship of the 
irds and throws out food or puts up 
puses and in other ways does all he can 
) draw the birds about him, more than 
i dozen species nesting close to his 
jbuse to say nothing of many dozens 
hich make bis small grounds a il Way- 
de Inn” for rest and refreshment. 
Mr. W. IT. Bright of Ft. Atkinson 
| icently bought a neglected nursery 
orth of the railroad station at Milton 
:jnd was somewhat worried to know 
ow bad the conditions would prove as 
| ) insect pests where so large a plot 
ad been given no attention. T was 
j leased to inform him that it was 
thoroughly manned by several valuable 
birds, robins, song sparrows, catbirds 
and mourning doves, all of whom seem 
to be much tamer and unsuspecting 
than the usual run of these species 
about the cities. In particular, a pair 
of brown thrashers allowed me to ap¬ 
proach within five feet of them at three 
different times before they flew away. 
This was no case of bird charming or ol 
taking extra precautions, merely walk 
ing up to them in the course of my in¬ 
spection of the trees. 
When it is remembered that this was 
an area of more than five acres of neg¬ 
lected trees of many different species 
and that it was freer of insect epidem¬ 
ics than many nurseries which are get¬ 
ting considerable attention, one can be 
sure that the presence of so many nest¬ 
ing birds has something to do with the 
scarcity of insect pests. 
Koethe 
Brothers of Coon 
Valley also 
protect their birds as does Mr. Kellogg 
of Janesville, Wisconsin. 
There is, however, a great lack of in¬ 
formation among the farming class of 
Wisconsin with regard to the great 
value of encouraging birds about the 
premises rather than leaving it to the 
birds to find out for themselves where 
they are welcome, for one must not for¬ 
get the repelling nature of man's oper¬ 
ations where he cuts down their cosi¬ 
est groves and hedges in clearing the 
land. It is of course useless to talk 
about attracting birds to any farm 
where the people care more for their 
cats and their dogs than they do for the 
dispossessed tenants, the birds. 
Friends of “By the Wayside’’ should 
do more to bring the Audubon Society 
work before the farmers. The Univer- 
Continued to page 30.) 
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