The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1874-08-01
The FOed and the Use of Our RapaciOus
Birds.
BY GEORGE SIM.

III InlS, DIS III any Quiet SUBJECTS, There
are two parties holding different views, the
one affirming that these creatures are of no
use whatever, and therefore their extermi-
nation is much to be desired, the other that
they are of use-in short, are indispensa-
bly, necessary to the we'll being of the feath-
cred creation and of man. The subject
has engaged my attention for many years,
and for the past ten have carefully exam
ined the stomach of each bird as it came to
hand, and although against my own inter-
est, l am bound in honesty to raise my
voice, feeble though it be, against prac-
tice SO Numerically opposed to the inter-
ests of humanity-that of DISCRIMINATING
what is at present known by the term
vermin.
The present destructive treatment of our
rapacious animals is subject which may
now be said to be of national Importance,
and one, too, which if much longer allowed
to run it's present course, will ultimately
result in much more serious consequences
than is at present thought of. With all
respect | fearlessly assert that no greater
mistake could be than to suppose that these
birds should be exterminated. They are
the very life of the feathered creation, and
the agriculturist's best friend. This is no
hasty unconsidered expression, but my
honest conviction after, as l have said,
many years. close attention to the subject.
Within the past ten years 305 rapacious
birds have passed through my hands, the
stomach of each, it occurred, having
been carefully examined and noted at the
time. This may be claimed as decided
advantage over those holding opposite,
short sighted and often self interested
views, that l have examined the matter for
myself, while In most instances they have
done nothing, and can say nothing but
"Oh, you need not tell us, we have seen
them kill game" ignoring the fact that
they also do much good.
From 305 predatory birds examined by
me have to be deducted whose stomachs
contained nothing, still we have the large
number of 296, composing II different spe-
cies, who had nothing in their stomach
but the remains of creatures more or less
injurious to farmers, gardeners and landed
proprietors. One of above seventeen spe-
cies, 3 were golden eagles, whose stomachs
contained some lambs wool and part of
rabbit; 2 sea eagles, who had nothing in
their stomachs; rough-legged buzzards,
nothing in their stomachs; three common
buzzards, whose stomachs contained frogs
and mice; honey buzzards, having wasps
and their larvae as their food; hen har-
riers, having each part of rabbit in their
stomachs; 3 ospreys, besides their ordinary
food, which is fish, each had numbers of
beetles in their stomachs-this, be it OBJ
served, is in addition to their ordinary
food, as far as l am aware not previously
noticed; 6 Peregrine falcons, stomach of
one contained part of a bird, species un-
distinguishable; the others had their food
too far digested to make out what it might
have been; 2 hebbys, both of whom bad
shrews in their stomachs; 10 merlins, one
had just dined on linnet and another on
beetles, all the remaining ten having mice
and shrews; l red-legged falcon, whose
stomach was filled with beetles and a
mouse; of SO kestrels, 3 had beetles, I
had 60 caterpillars, 30 grasshoppers, II
beetles and l earwig-the caterpillars, be-
ing chiefly those which feed Oh gooseberry
leaves-another had the fur of rabbit
and beetles, and the remaining 90 had mice
and shrews-some as many as mice; of
40 sparrows hawks, had small birds in
their stomachs, the remaining 43 having
all mice and shrews; of 70 long eared owls
1 had a small bird and all the others, mice
and shrews; of 20 tawny owls 1 had COM
mon earthworms, 2 had small birds, part
of rabbit, another caterpillars, bits of
Scotch fir and beetles and another weazel,
4 had empty stomachs the remaining 60
having all fed on mice and shrews, 16 barn
owls, all having mice of several species; of
IA short cared owls one had Just break
tasted on a jacksnipe; all the others had
mice.
This las already stated)is the fruit of ten
years work, and, as will have been seen,
mice constitute the principal food of our
rapacious birds. Hence l maintain that
these animals Should not only be spared
but closely protected. Look at the doings
of the French in a similar matter and look
at the result. The same may be said of
the gardens in and around London, who
lately took to killing the small birds, and
the result was tho increase to such an ex-
tent of several species of flies that people
had their fruit trees not merely injured
but totally destroyed.
Let it not be supposed that am of opin-
ion that hawks do not kill game birds, for
this I admit they do; but while admitting
it I hold that they ought to be allowed to
live, and for that very purpose, because it
is evident their preservation is necessary to
keep our game in coed healthy condition.
This condition is maintained by killing off
weakly and sickly birds, and keeping
strong ones in watchful, healthy motion,
since it appears as essentially necessary for
the lower orders of creation, and perhaps
the higher also, to have some neighbor for
whom they require to be on their guard.
Show me people who fancy that they
have subdued all their enemies and have
given themselves up to ease and luxurious
living, and you at the same time exhibit
nation dropping into feeble, lstless effemi-
nancy, if not absolute decay. So it is with
our game; kill off their natural enemies
and you destroy the balance of nature, and
disease and death is the sure and natural
result. Thus it hath been and thus it will
continue to be, if the present short.sighted
policy is continued. An able writers Oh
serves, {" If the innocence of infancy is
touching, still more so is the even harm
less character which Overlooking carnivor-
Gus instincts implanted in certain families
for wise purpose) attaches to the lower
animals. 1t is common, under the intlu.
ence of prejudice, to do gross injustice to
the characters of these denizens of ma
lures common. We do not sufficiently
retlact IN tbejr resnectahle uualities -