Thibodaux minerva. [volume] (Thibodaux, La.) 18??-1858, 1856-04-12
1d5ectivorous Birds.

The following interesting passages are FROM
paper read by Mr.. Townsand Glover. before .,
late meeting of the Agricultural Society. .,n,
published in the Washington National IDtor
gencer:
Here, however let me change the subia., :.
put special plea for insectiverous birds w.,
appear to have been sent to keep the "b,l.ns""
of power IN insect life insects would OIL
wise multiply to such degree us to he na,sas.
~ unbearable, and render agricultural Toll ~"
tirely useless. farmer keeps watch. doo ~
guard his premises. and cat to kill rats and e.;
in his grana,y and barn: yet he suffers,nv ..',
feathered Gipde to tear down his rails to 90. Nn'
chance shot at robin, wren Or blue bird Will
may be unfortunate enough to be ON his nra,s su
ses; and yet these very birds do him more oaa,
than either dog or cat, working diligently f hr.a
morn TO dark, and killing and DESTROYING ;nsa o'
injurious to his crops, which, if not Thu,
out, would eventually multiply to such On NV
tent as to leave him scarcely any cron wba.aA
ever.
Birds are accused of eating cberr;oz =,
other fruits True, but the poor birds n,os ana
take little of the fruit to pay for tbe 10y
which but for their unceasing efforts, would az
erwise probably have been killed in its inf,uau
To exsmplfy the utility of birds, will p;ye ny.
or two instances that have occurred under NV
own observation. Some years ago took fano,
to keep bees; accordingly hives were procursS
and books read upon the subject One ,Ior
king bird, or bee martin was observed to be Va.
ry busy about the hives apparently snappino
up every bee he could fiud. Indignant at f snaS
breach of hospitality, as his nest was on NV
premises, FASTENED to the house to procnra
To shoot Tho M uIa
l perceived greyish bird on the bushy ton ~
tree, and thinking it was the robber. SrsJ u
and down dropped poor innocent little Phoehs'
bird
Hoping to find some consolation to nv co,-
science for having committed this most fon nns
der, l inwardly accused the poor little nboeho
of having killed the bees, and having determnaS
to ascertain the fact by dissecting the bird !.
was opened when, much to my regret and 90
constituent, it was found to be full of str;naa
cucumber bugs, and not one single bee Hera
| had killed the very bird that had been WORT.
ing for me the whole season, and perfectly in.
nocent of the crime for which it was sacrificed
After this circumstance l determined never IA
let gun be fired on my premises excepting on
special occasions: and at present the place is
perfectly crowded during spring, su miner. md
autumn, with the feathered songsters which
build their nests in my very porch, and briue IN
their young perfectly fearless of MANKIND
And though cherries, Strawberries, &C., do suf.
fer. yet the insects are not quarter as numer.
Gus and troublesome as they were formerly.
In the Southern States have seen the hee
martin from where stood, and the knocking.
bird feeding its nearly grown young on the same
insect Even the ugly toad works for the far
mer and gardener, as his food consists of insects
more or less injurious. The beautiful and live
ly green and gray lizards of the Southern States,
which are seen running on the fence rail, or
amidst the gren foliage of trees, shrubs and
bushes, and from which they can scarcely be
distinuished except when in motion, are ever on
the watch for insect prey; and / know of one
curious case in which even the mice in green
house were of service, for they had rooted up
the earth round several potted peach trees in
order to devour the chrysalis of the peach tree
borer.