The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-08-21
DEBATE ON THE DESTRUCTION OF SMALL
BIRDS.

Birds
! Few of the debates which have sprung up
during the present session OF the Legislature oil
Connecticut (says the Hartford Courant) have
been listened to with more attention, or have
apparently excited a deeper interest, than that
which occupied the attention of the House on
the third reading of the bill " TO prevent the de
structono or certain small birds and, though
some time has passed since il took place, the
interest TO see it in print Is so general that we
have endeavored, with the and OF some who
took part in the debate, to collect what was
said on the occasion.
The bill was reported by the committee on
the judiciary, and provides
"Tbat any person who shall shoot, or in
any other manner kill, destroy, entrap, ensnare,
or otherwise capture upon lands not owned
or occupied by himself, any OF the following
birds, viz robin, blue-bird, swallow, martin
or swift, night or musquito hawk, whip poor
will. cuckoo, king bird, wake-up or high hole,
wood-pecker, calbird, long-tailed thrush, or
6nUWm. -e0rasshef, fle,ss.- = = -, - S' ~
or marsh quail, fire bird or summer red
bird, hanging bird, spider-bird, or wax-bird,
24SL...a loSinS T. ~. : Il = -1r.- z:--c
bird, sparrow, yellow-bird, or phebe, shall be
punished by fine not exceeding five dollars"
On its second reading there appeared to be
in some quarters disposition to rdicule the
bill, as scarcely worthy the attention Of so dig
nifed a body, and the whole matter was spo-
| ken of as small game" On the third read
| ing, Mr.. Andrews, of New Britain, endeav-
ored to give a different turn to the debate and
! the feeling of the members on the subject.
Mr.. Andrews said he rose for the purpose OF
moving to add to the list Of birds proposed to
be protected by this bill the names of several
others which had been omitted. He spoke of
the great value and interest Of the race of birds,
not only on account of their beautiful .plumage
and their delightful melody, but as forming a
most important link in that chain by which
the whole visible creation was united, and the
comparative numbers Of the various races of
animals duly regulated. They are designed to
act most important part in the economy of ma
ture, by holding in check the tendency Of the
| insect species to increase to myrads, and, like
| the locust of the East, TO sweep from the earth
| every vestge of the vegetable creation. That
| such tendency to increase on the part of the
insect tribes actually existed, and that without
the requisite checks the whole earth would be
laid waste by them, was sufficiently apparent
to all who had deeply reflected upon the
subject But among the checks to this increase,
none were probably more important or effica-
cious than the feathered songsters Of the fields
and groves. Ever in motion, with keen eye and
eager appetite, they were every moment seiz-
| ing upon their prey as it lurked beneath the
bark Of treesa or crypt over leaf or flower. and
thus kept in check the most destructive enemy
with which the farmer or the florist was called
to contend But while thus engaged as the
farmers most efficient coadJutor and friend, il
l..
treated like an enemy, and even to be persecu
( ted for the very acts which most redounded Il
> the benefit Of man.
MIR. A. remarked that several years since
while travelling in western Carolina and Vir
GINA, he passed through forest where the
timber on some hundreds of acres was all dead
and decaying. Inquiry was made of a coun
tryman respecting the cause of this devastation
He replied that the trees had been killed by
,coodpeckers, which had been increasing in
that neighborhood for some years; and though
they had killed as many OF. them as possible
it was all to little or no purpose that they
were continually pecking the trees, until III,
whole forest far and wide was destroyed
: This was good exemphfcation OF what on
Y own farmers and their sons were constant,
0 doing. These woodpeckers had doubtless beer
3 drawn together by the myriads Of wood worms
4 the grub Of the Buprestes and other insects
: bred beneath the bark of the forest trees, anC
. which Were at that time engaged in devourins
the fresh wood deposited beneath the bark o
: those trees. The real enemy was concealed
from sight, and the friend who was searching
out and destroying this enemy, wherever hi
, keen ear detected their stealthy cravings
was taken, like the poor and faithful dos
, of Llewelyn, as their destructive foe, and Xix,
s him consigned to swift destruction. So it wa.
$ now with the blackbrd, which was ever read,
o to follow the farmer through the furrowed field
;. and to seize upon the worm whose secre
s mischief was disturbed by the unexpected in
: road of the ploughshare. Through every da,
u of the long summer he piled his useful labor
y but alas for his safety! Ii was said that some
4 times in the early spring, whilst searching TO
: the grub, which would soon, If not detected de
stroy the buried corn, he meets with few,
q very few kernels of that corn which his effort
' are tending TO protect, and mcontinently de
= YOURS them. Mr.. A. wished. that notwithsand
n ing this sin of ignorance on the part of this use
}; full bird, he could see in the House disposition
y 10 protect his life from the wanton attacks eve
:, rywhere made upon it; but he feared to pre-
pose it, lest it should bring the other little song
sters into danger from being found associate
!, in the same bill with bird that had suffered $
. much in his good name. He would, however
4 venture to propose the woodpecker and fe,
: other confessedly harmless tenants of our field
n and forests.
. Mr. Boardman, of New Haven, said /:
r was some eminent genius, ! think it wa
Goethe, who said, {" the works of nature al
ever to me freshly uttered word of God.
. | sympathize earnestly in that sentiment. w
y are everywhere overwhelmed with proofs c
: the power and goodness of that God who ha
4 made all nature beauty to the eye and music
: the ear Our brilliant sun, and clear, pure al
g which even Italy cannot surpass our gorgeou
q sunsets the dark luxuriance of our forests III
a rich and varied products of our teeming sol
q are ever objects ofgrateful contemplation in tn
Q mornings dawn or evening twilight. AT sue
= moments, nothing so fills the heart with graf
n tude, and often the eye with tears, as the FIRE,
Q Joyous singing of the birds in the garden an
a orchard. II stirs the purest, gentlest, sweeie
= sympathes of our nature. IL cvlizes and r,
: fines the heart--and If Were DESTROYS of ed,
: eating youth for happiness and usefulness,
q would begin and never cease teaching him
= admire and love the beautiful works of Go,
8 II is easily taught-let the father or friend civ
v tongue to his own thoughts in the hearing ,
v the boy, and tell him what to admire in III
: painting Of the sunset, the melody of the grow,
the beauty of the flowers, the forms and tints
I the landscape, the music of the restless ocean
a no lessons can be more permanent or effective
- - If generally taught, we should soon redeem on
!. y national reputation from the charge of wal
y of taste and refinement. We are called at tim,
nation of young barbarians and although III
charge is not true, ! am sorry TO say there
:, something TO make il out Of. There is no pc,
!. pie in the civilized world among whom III
Il destructive tendencyis so prominen, as in tn
= young Notwithstanding ESCAPES his gun an