The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1854-04-22
agricultural.
Ehe Means If Multiplying the
smaller Birds around cur
rEcl!fngs,

The presence Of birds as companions ola
country residence is considered by all de-
Sirabic circumstance, second only to woods,
flowers. green fields, and the general advanta-
COS Of l4osl Get. Without birds, the land
Scapc if not wanting in beauty, would lack
something which is necessary TO the happi-
ness ofa!l men who arc elevated above state
OF scnsnalisln. 1t is indeed highly probable
that nature owes more to the lively MOTORS
songs and chattcrng of birds, for the infu.
ence Of her charms, than 10 any other single
accompaniment oftcTcstial scenery. They
a;c 50 intimately associa cd with all that is
dtli%htfnl III field and forest, with cur carly
walks in the morning, our rest at monday,
and our lntditaions at sunset, with the trees
that spread their BRANCHES Oyer OH hra,is, and
the vines and delicate MOSES a our feet that
It Is difficult to think Of the apart from the
others. Through the voices of birds, nature
may be said to speak to us, and without them
she would be but a dumb companion, whose
beauty could hardly be felt.
1t is customary, when speaking of tie adj
vantae,s of birds, to treat Of them Us they
have relation 10 the agricultural interest. Adj
,ni!ing the valuc Of almost every species as
dts;roytrs oGinsccts, am disposed to con-
slider their Importance in this respect as only
secondary TO that which regards their pleas.
ant companionship with man. Hence it is a
matter Of no SNAIL consequence to use the best
means that have l,acn discovered ID preserve
the birds from destruction, and to multiply
them about our dwellings, Very little atton-
ton has been paid 10 this subject. \ few
laws have been made for their preservation;
but these Lave seldom been enforced Occa-
Sionally a Tarag;arh in the newspapers has
ll,altd for th,ir projections but as yet 10 full
and q. bora:c essay, devoted to this object has
made its appearance. | believe the farmer
would promote his own thrift by cAtcndinga
walchIul care over thc lives Of every species of
birds; but the smaller tribes are considered
Tic most useful. And ii would seem as if ma
turc had given them then beauty of plumage,
and endowed them will, song, on purpose to
render them attractive, that man might there
by be induced to preserve 4 race ofcr,atuns
secondary IL his pleasures, and 50 yauabl TO
his interests.
There are two methods Of preserving the
birds; the first consist, in emitting to destroy
them; the second in promoting the growth of
certain trees, shrubs and other plants on
which they depend for SHELTER and subsistence
The birds considered in relation to trees and
shrubbciy; may lie divided into two classes.
First the familiar birds that live in our or
chards and gardens, and increase in numbers
in proportion as the woods are cleared, and
the lands devoted to tillagc. To this class
belong several Of our sparrows. the wren, the
blue Bird the American robin, the bobolnk,
the lmnct, the vclow-lird and some others.
TIE second are the less familiar birds that
frequent the woods and wild pastures, and
which would probably be cXtcrminated by
reducing the whole forest 10 park CT tillaec.
Among these may be named the little wood
SpalloW, one Of the sweetest of American
songs.,rs, nearly all tie thruShcs, the towcc
finch, and many Of the sJlrias and weed.
ptckcrs.
70 preserve the first of these species little
is necessary to be done except to avoid dc
stroying them; but to insure the multiplica-
lion Ct the second, We must study their
haunts the substances provided by nature for
their food, the plants that afford them shell
ter, and to a certain extent labor to preserve
all these for their Use. The little brown spar
row is never Lcard in the l.cart Of our villa
gts, unless they arc closely surrounded by
wood. Yet this bird docs not live in the
woods. lie froqucntS the pastures which arc
ovcrgrown with wild shrubs, and their UNI
dcrgrowth CT vines, moses and ferns that u
mite them imporceptibly with the green sward
by which they are surrounded. lie is always
found in the whortlelcrry PASTURES, and Prob
ably makes his rrpast on thlsc simple fruits
in their season. lie builds his nest on the
ground, i'll messy knoll, under the protcc-
ton of thckct. Every bird is more or less
attaShSti " Ol
and shrubbcry: and if we destroy this char
actcr, We drive this particular species from
our neighborhoCd, to seek in other places of |
its natural habitats. Hence We may account |
for the comparative silence that pcrvadcs the
grounds of some of our most admired country
seats; for with respect to the wants of our
most familiar birds it is possible that cult
iation may &c carried too far.
There is no danger that, for many years to
'cmc, our lands will be entirely stripped of
htir native growth of herbs, tre cs and shrubs
IS to leave the birds without their natural
hcltcr, BIT there is danger that they may
'e wholly driven opt of particular localities,
nd that the inhabitants may thereby be de-
rived Of the presence of many delightful
'arblcrs. In these dcnscly populated dis
riots, the want Of them would tc more pain
ully felt, because they contain great NUM-
er ofculivattd people WHO can appreciate
hose blessings of nature. Let us then pro-
ccd in our inquiry concerning the means by
'hlch we may multiply the birds around our
abiations.