Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1837-03-10
LETTER

tives, OF Massachusetts, appointed 10 take
into consideration the subject of an Exam
nation of'he Natural History Of tha, State
1 GENT-The subscriber. in behalf of a
commi,,ee appointed by the Boston Society
oil Natural History. would respectfully rep.
resent, that having seen an aIlusion 10 their
body in one Of the printed State documents.
made In such manner as 10 render Il per
iinent for us TO address you. we take the lib.
erty OF stating our views on the subject of
that documcnt,-ihe further geological sur
vey OF The State, in connection with its ZOO.
logical examination.
But-we would allude more particularly
10 the department Of natural history. Pro.
lessor Hitchcock intimates that collections
of plants and animals for the use Of The
State, and for desposite in some OF our prin-
cipal institutions, may be attended with re-
suits very valuable to the State. With that
intimation we entirely concur. L, has been
the main object Of this society, 10 investigate
the natural history OF our osrn State and
we cannot permit an opportunity like the
present TO pass without urging the impor-
lance Of this subject Before the formation
OF this society, in 1880. great Ignorance Of
me natural productions Of the State prevail
ed and the little that was known, had been
principally determined by foreigners We
may safely say. that eight years ago there
was no man. nor body OF men, who could
give us any tolerable list OF the animals and
plants OF Massachusetts. And even now.
we believe that our objects Of natural histo.
~, are better known in Sweden and France
than in Massachusetts.
/ Much thon raux..... a. l.
States are securing. in their SURVEYS. a
knowledge Of the things 10 the mafers, and
on the surface Of the earth. as well as Of the
things under the earth. Are there not rea.
sons. both Of erpedieney and utility, suffi-
cient TO induce rs TO secure similar knowl-
edge?
That we have as yet no list, that is pre-
tended TO be any thing like complete. is nm
inducement The list Of plants and animals
in the I'd edition of Hitchcock's Survey is
surprisingly augmented and even tina,
might now be greatly increased No list
maniies.s greater care or research than that
of the birds; and yet one gentleman. con.
s'antly engaged in professional pursuits, and
within three miles of Boston, has been able
TO determine. within the last wear. tha, forty-
six species Of birds. not named on the list.
belong 10 this State
Il is very desirable. that every considera-
Bile animal. and every plant in the State,
should be collected. determined, described
and ratalogued. Il must and ,ciH be done
and II acc neglect it, strangers will bear a.
way the honor.
1t will OF course be asked, what direct
good may be expected from accomplishing
such an object2 or what consequence is i
to the farmer, to know any thing about birds,
and bugs. and shells "A few examples
may illustrate the importance of geologic
al survey.
Animals are destroyed, whose natural
habits render their destruction Of doubtful
utility, such as crows, black-birds and wood
peckers. Il is true. that the crow pulls up
the blade Of corn for the sake Of the kernel |
at its base. But then he preserves ienfold
greater quantity from the inroads OF the
" orms which he deyours "Why. then,
should the farmer be so ungratefnl," says
Mr. Audubon. "when he sees such services |
rendered 10 him by provdent friend. as to
prosecute that friend. eren 10 Me death - |
When know by experience the generosity
Of the people. cannot but wish that they
would reflect little. and become more In |
dulgent towards our poor. humble. harmless.
and eren most serpieeabie bird, The eroio"
History tells US "that when Virginia. at
an enormous expense. had extirpated the lit |
tie crow. inhabitants would have willingly |
bought them back again. at double the price. |
that they might devour insects" Also, shat |
when the farmers of New England, by Of |
ferng reward Of three pence per head on
The crow.black bird, had nearly ex,erminat-
ed them, insects increased to such degree
as to cause total loss of the heritage; and
the inhabitants were obliged to obtain their
hay from Pennsylvania and other places"
No bird is more universally or uniustly |
prosecuted than the wood-pecker. because OF
his supposed injury to our fruit and iores,
trees.-when. in truth. he is doing no injury
to the tree. He is furnished by a kind Pro-
violence with bill capable OF penetrating
the bark. and long barbed tongue. to draw
out the insects which are destroying the
tree
Il is usual 70 stone the sparrow from our
gardens, under the supposition that he picks
up the seeds which we have deposited there.
when be is really devourng nothing but the
grubs and other insects, in which the rich
garden earth abounds. and which are the
real destroyers Of the seeds II has been
calculated by observation, that single spar
row, with young. devours 1850 calerpillars
10 week. or 4S0 per day. q
Reptiles are universally dreaded and ex- .
terminated; yet more harmless race. GER
II