The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-21
THE PRESERVATION OF tINSECTEAIING
laI BIRDS N.f


In recent paper we spoke generally OF the great in
jury accring TO farmers and planters throughout tho
United States from the indscrminatc destruction of the
insect eating birds by the yagabond gpnnes, who arc
continually the in pursuit OF what they pleas
ed 10 designate game ia the shape of every small wing
cd creature fitting among the tree tops, or hiding itself
among the wayside hckets and bushes, of every small
quadruped scddng along the stones by the fence edges
running up the boies of the great forestrees We
spoke at the same time of the inconceiyabe mutudes
of obnoxious insects of all sorts obnoxious to personal
comfort mosquitoes, gnat and house-fies obnoxious
to flowers and fruits the aphdes eurculios wass
obnoxious TO vegetables slugs, outwonns, arye OF
many moths and coleoperous insects and the various
species of beetles and lady birds known to rural pop
uation under the general cacophonous aeation of bugs
obnoxious TO the cereal the Hcssian flies, the
wecvils, the wire worms and others whose name Is liter
ally elon--whch destroyed, while small birds
preserved at least unthinkngly suffered to go
ested and 10 pass their innocent, happy, and tuncfu
lives free from persecution ii not cherished at the hands
of the cultivator Of the SOIL but which, since tho birds
have been in fact all but abolished have nceas 10 such
degree that their rvages awakening general atte-
ton and that the deterioration and dimnuton of the crops
of cereals wheat especially, has become posvca
fact and that fact directly taceabe to the increased
ravages of it is becoming aquestion how the
total loss the wheat is to be avoided rapidly is 1t
becoming Improbable crop to the farmer in conse
quence of the uncertainty whether even small percent
age of it can be harvested in marketable condition
We now propose to point ont particularly what
are the families OF BIRDS and yet ninutely what
are the Species which most useful to the
|
prudent he is in other branches OF domestic and
farm economy he would prohibit and endeayor to pre-
vent even strenuously than he would that of his
bam-door poultry. fft
All these birds, to commence of order, the In
scssore all of which, with but two exceptions third
family Haicyonida, kingishers and the nineteenth
PsiacdG, parTakeets in greater less degree
insecvorous, and the best friends Of the farmer, by
whom they but too often either wantony and cruelty
sacrificed, owing to absurd prejudice which has
foundation Of truth whatsoever reclessly neglected
and given prey to the first idle du-nogood who
prefers to following his business or his labor the saunter
ing through the woods and fields of other men, readng
down their crops breaking down their fences and killing
off the small birds, which would if permitted protect the
farmers grain, prove themselves enemies to nothing
cept the insect tribes whose lives absolutely
to the planter and the deepest blot modern agicut-
raj science which far has utterly failed to produce any
eiectual check to their devastaons This order of in
sesores consists OF nineteen families lst The Crids
goatsuckes, Of which there are three species the
chuck wills widow, the wp-poor-will, and the night
hawk all of which devourers the wing Of small
flying nocturnal evening insects of which in moist
situations and the banks Of inland rivers they de-
stoy incalculable numbers being most determined
mics of the whole of mosquitoes, gnats, and sand
flies. 3D. The Huundiiip, swallow, of which there
two genera and eight species all diurnal insect
takers the wing and destroyes of almost every
ces of flying insect They the most alert of birds
and are probably the wing for hours than any
other issuing from their nests with the first dawn of
daylight and taking their prey until it is nearly dark
The vast numbers of large houseies which they have
been known to consume while in state of confne-
ment show clearly what must be the enormous amount
of the smaller and less substantial insects, such gnas
and mosquitoes destroyed by them daily. If the small
English house swallow in its immature condition could
dispose of thousand of the house-fy to sat
isy its own individual Appetite il may reasonably be
assumed that the great purple martin would consume
double that number of house-fes, which would proba
ably equal not less than 5000 of the gnats, sand flies
and mosquitoes which their daily food The purple
martin raises usually four young each year, and
taking theif consumption equivalent to about one
half that of the parent birds the consumption of flies by
family of purple martins cannot be rated ut much less
than 20 900 per diem, 5000 900 during their soourn
with in the North. 3D. The halcynids, kingfshes,
which shdestoyers and therefore the enemies,
the friends of the landholder who he have trout
stream westocked fshpond large river, border
ing running through his demesncs should show no
mercy to this unsparing tyrnt among the nnows and
other smaly 4th The nuscicalide tly-atchers, of
which there two genera three subgenera, and nine
teen species including the we'll known and universally f
vorite powees and phebe birds, and the equally well
known but generally prosecuted, kingbrd who in de-
spite Of his gallant bearing which dctcrs all hawks and
eagles from ntruding the demesnes occupied by
this brave little fycatcher, and his good services against
oil winged nuisnces is too often stupidity and needless
y slaughtered by who keep bees in consequence OF
their assuming from the fact of his occasionally taking
of these insects, that he is determined enemy of
| the honey-maker. 5th The laaiddG or shrikes, one
genus and two species, which and fierce de-
vouers of the larger insects and the smaller birds and
reptiles. These birds of little consequence either
way but on the whole may be considered useful to the
farmer rather than the 9Th The McruLdG,
thrushes, four genera subgenus and fourteen spe
cies, including of most familiar and most de-
ghtfu song birds, the migratory thrush, robin
the wood thrush the varied thrush the hermit thrush
the mocking bird the cat Bird and the brown thrush
and several other beautiful and musical but less familiar
varieties all of which great and assduous desroyers
of what may be called the reptile insects such cater
pillars grubs and maggots of all kinds those detcsed
and dreaded pests of the fruit garden and not few of
the coeopterovs flies beetles This delightful family
of birds in reality of the greatest utility to
the rural proprietor and cultvator, well one afford
ing the highest pleasure by its rch sweet gushes of song
It's familiar habits and its friendly facility to sort Of
halfdomestcation wherever is treated Hospitality and
preserved from mocstaton during its nesting season 1t
is certainly not pleasing trait in the lower classes OF the
rural population of the United States that they have for
the part idea of charity or hospitality idea
of forming qtas attachments with the little birds such
as the wrens the snow Birds and many of the smaller
6nches and warblers which habtualy breed close
possible to the buildings and babtations of men, and
would willingly If allowed enter his doors during the
cold weather and feed the crumbs around his hearth
is the with the robin red breast of Europe to kill
nolest which could scarcely bribe tie worstcon
Quoted village lad even by tempting reward, nearly
sacred is the little bird considered in consequence of his
love for and confidence in his generosity. No such
feeling is here entertained toward any wild animal
is the kindness understood which il extended by the
mesnest European hind to every song bird and to many
species such the stork the house-martn, and the
which have charm whether of voice form, or
plumage, to recommend them, any claim to hospi-
tality beyond that which they derive from their undonbt
ing trust In the humanity of Here ON the contra
not only cherish nurture not to protect