The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1858-06-05
From the New York Tribune.
Preservation Of Insect.E Eating birds.

eating birds by the vagabond gunners, who
are continually on the rove IN pursuit OF
what they are pleased to designate game, In
the shape of every small winged creature
fitting among the tree-tops, or hiding itself
among the wayside thckets and bushes, OF
every small quadruped scudding along the
stones by the fence edges, or running up the
boles OF the foTest-treeS. We spoke at the
same time Of the inconceivable multitudes OF
obnoxious insects of all sOrts-obcoxiouS TO
personal comfort, as musgut toes, gnats, ana
hOuse-iicS; obnoxious to flowers and fruits
rs the aphides, curcujios, wasps; obnoxious
to vegetables, as slugs, cutworms larvae OF
many moths and coleopterous insects, and
the various species of beetles and lady birds,
known to our rural population usder the
general cacophonous appellation OF bugs;
obnoxious to the cereal crops. as the Hcssian
flies, the weevilS, the wTc-wogguS, and 9th
ers wno.c r,.IiIc - literally iegiC ssiFss8--eis
were DESTROYED while small birds were pre-
served, or at least unthiuhingly suffered TO
go uu-molestei, and to pass their innocent,
happy, and tunelul lives from persecution,
if not cherished, at the hands Of the cuitiva-
tor OF the soil, bat which, since the BIRDS
have been in fact all but abolished, have IN
creased to such a degree that their rayages
are awakening general attention, and mat
i the lrt.rig,a.!gua and d!.HiuUtiOu OF the crops
of cereals wheat more especially, has be
come so posiivea iact-aud that fact direct
Y traceable to the Increased rava5es OF
iuSctts-that 1t is becoming question how
the total loss OF the wheat = 10 DC avoided,
rapidly i, it becoming an unprottahle
crop u the farmer, 10 consequence oi the
uncertainty whether even a small percent
age Of +. can be harvested in . make etibe
condition.
We uoH propose 20 point out more par
t.c4,4r.v what are j.c families of birds, and
vet more uiuuteiy - hat the genera and
s4ecie= which are most useful 10 the farmer,
aud the destruction o: which, If he were
wise and prudent aS he Is in other branches
OF domestic and !arm economy, lac wou.d
prohibit and enaeayor to prevent even more
streuuously than he would that oa his barn
door poultry.
Al these birds, 10 commence are Of one
order. tho Ia.-ssOros, all Of which, with but
two cNcep.ons-the tiirI family, Hatcy0H-
iis. or k,a-isherS, and the n.net-enth,
. Ps,ttEctfF, or para Sce-s-aTe IN greater
f or less degree Inscrt.ForoGs, and the best
friends 60. lae farmer, hy whom they are but
too often wanrou.y aa4 cruelty sacrificed,
owing TO some absurd prejudice which has
no !ouH4at 1u or truth whatsoever, OF Tcck-
.~~y neglected and given over as prey TO
tie first lI.c do no-good who prefers TO fol-
lBwiu. i., business or his labor, the saau-
t,rru. through the woods and fields # other
men. treating down their crops, breaking
down their fences and killing - the small
birds, which would, . permitted, protect the
farmers gram, prove themselves enemies TO
u9.alu, ,x.yct tie insect tribes, whose lives
ar. absJ.utrl. "A curse 10 the planter, and
the Ge.ue~t blot on modern agricultural sci
ercr. winch so Ear has utterly fail d 10 pro-
Gu-- auv ,.I-s'Gll check % their deEasia-
lions. - oI4ar oi .u>esSores consists oi
nineteen families. 1t. IhV CgpTlWutgttg,
o. ru4'-ursels Of which there agF three
sre.i. s. the chuck - widow, the whip
p1o--g,5.l. and the Ujgut-naws; a! ol which
are G.vou-gTs ON the wing OF small living
a8e,.rulI ur evening insects, ci which 10
mo-.. .ga-ous and near tae Darns oi an
land rivers the destroy incalcu'snie mum
l.r$. beng most determined enemies OF the
ahole r cy Of uu~gU-t1es, gna'S, auu sand
r.cS 81 iAe AtIErItLttC, or s%ai on, o.!
which there arc tvO genera ami eight spe-
c!es. al i.urnrl lastrt-iaAcIs on the wing.
and GestroycrS OF almost every species OF
fyin- insect They are the most alert OF
birds. and are probably on the wing FOR
more hours than arT other, issuing from
their nests with the first dawn Of day light
an! taking heir prey uHG. 1t is nearly dark.
Tne vast numbers OF large houSc-Hics which
ts.r lave been known 10 consume while ~
4 S-atr %! confinement. show clearly hat
must be the enormous amount Of the smaller
and less substantial insects, such a gnatS
and lag-C1iJoss destroyed by them daily.
II the small English huuse-Swai'ow in It's
immature condition could dispose Of thou
saai of the common hogs.-4y to satisfy -
own individual appetite, It may reasonably
be assumed that the purple martin would
consume double that number Of holse-HIes,
which wcu.i probably equal not less than
80 . u o. .Hc gnatS San.-l,es and muSq1itoeS,
which are their daily food. The purple
martin rG,scs usually four young ones each
year, and taking their consumption as
cquiya'cnt to about one halI that of the pa
rent birds. the consumption OF flies by
family ot purple martins cannot be rated at
much less than -, ZOO per diem, o. 3, 00G, 900
during turr sgjourn with Us az the North.
81. The hIh.. 0aj20, or hingiishers, which
are fish des.yoyeIs, and are therefore the
enemies, not the friends Of the ldEIhOider,
who. If lie have a trout stream, 4 we'll
stocked iishpond, or large river, bordering
OF running through his demesues, should
show no mercy to this unsparing tyrant
among the mDnows and other smal!-iry.-
4th. lqvyei1pida, or fiy-catchcrs, of which
there are two genera, three sub genera, and
nineteen species, including the well known
and universally iavorite pewees and phebe
birds, and the equally wall-knowD, but gen.
crafty prosecuted, kinghird, who, in despite
Of his gallant bearing, which deters all hawks
and even eagles from intruding on the de-
mesnes occupied by this brave little fly
catcher, and his good services against al
winged nu;sauces, Is too often stupidly and
: needlessy slaughtered by men who keep
bees. in consequence of their assuming, from
the fact of his occasionally taking one OF
I these insects that he is determined enemy
e of the honey maker. 9th. The taniadG, or
d shrikes. one genus and two species, which
;. are raveuCus and fierce Gevourers of the
# larger insects, and the smaller birds and rep
! tjles. These birds Of little consequence,
!; either way, but on the whole may be con
Il sitered usefu! to the farmer. rather than tEt
d reverse. 9Th. The -neruJiia, or thrusbes
| four genera, one sub-cenus, and fourteen
specieS. incl ldipg some of our most familiar
L and most delightful song-b!rds, as the mi
gratorv thrush or robin, the wood thrush
y the varied thrush, the hermit thrush, th
J. mocking bird, the cat-bird, and the brown
N thrush, and several other beautiful and mu
sicai. but less familiar varieties, all of wheel
. are great and assduous destroyers Of wha
-, NAV be called the reptile insects, such a
caterp.lars, grubs, and rnaggots of all kinds
IN those detested and dreaded pests of the frul
.s garden, and not few of the coleopterou
r flies or beetles. This delightful family G
-, song birds is in reality one of the creates
utility to the rural proprietor and cultivation
o. as well as one afiording the highest pleasur
: bv its rich, sweet gushes Of song, its fami
lar habits and its friendly facility to sol
of hall. domestication, wherever it is trcate
. Hospitality and preserved from molestatio
during its nesting season. 1t is certainly ne