The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1877-06-14
Home Correspondence.
Spare the Little Birds.

CPN@a y SaoC LGCGGC DGfUOs g
Mr.. EDITOR 81 wish through the press to
all attention to the Statute Of Ohio in relation
o the killing of harmless and useful birds and
he destruction Of their eggs. 1t is as follows t
SECTION I. Be it enacted bv the General =.
Assembly of the State of Ohio, That it shall be =,
unlawful for any person, at any time, to catch,
kill or inJure, or to pursue with such intent,
any sparrow, robin, blue bird, martin, thrush,
chewit or ground robin, pewee
or phoebe bird, wren, cuckoo, indigO-b bird, nut
hatch, ereeper, yeIlow-bird or fringilla, yellow
hammer or flicker, warbler or finch, maris, red
starb, dummOck, nightingale, cross-bill, or
corn crake, Hungarian robin, European black
bird, great tit or blue tit.
.
SEC. 3. And it shall be unlawful for any
person to destroy or disturb the eggs Of any Of
the birds protected by this act and any per
son offending against any of the foregoing pro-
visions Of this act, shall be fined in any sum
not less than two dollars nor more than twenty
FIVE dollars for each offense, on conviction in
the proper court or be imprisoned in the county !
Jail not more than twenty days, or both, at the .
discretion Of the court, and pay the costs Of
prosecution.
This law is entirely disregarded in Hillsboro |
and its vicinity, and personally know of boys
Of all ages who are now liable to prosecution
for its violation. The old birds are stoned and
shot, the nests broken up, the eggs sucked,
struzg on string or otherwise des troyed, and
this is done even in the streets, yards and gar
dens of the town.
Would it not be we'll for parents, guardians
and others to look after the conduct of those
under their charge, not only from regard to the
law and its Objects but lest other persons should
take measures looking to the punishment of
offenders who are known members of their
families
There can be no question as to the propriety
Of sparing the lives and encouraging the breed
ing of such birds, and if it was universally
done, we would suffer less from the myriads Of
insects that destroy our fruits and other crops,
as well as shrubbery and shade trees. During
the spring and early summer, before the ripen-
ing of fruits, grain and seeds, they feed almost
entirely upon insects, and the numbers they
can destroy is wonderful.
In many parts of the country we are import
ing the English sparrow as an insect enemy,
though it is in many respects a very mischiev-
GUS and Objectionable bird, while the duty
could as we'll be done by those native to the
country.
In 1850, while preparing a general law for
the protection of birds and game, had Occa-
sion to make report upon the subject to the
Senate of Ohio, from which I may be permitted
to make the following extract:
/ Probably every bird which existed in Ohio
at its first settlement still remains in it OF Wis
its it, and many are found in greatly increased
numbers. The quail follows civilization, and
as the country opens up, and the corn and grain
] fields widen, and its food becomes abundant
its numbers will continue to increase. So of
the harmless domestic birds. The robin, the
| blue bird, the eat bird, the swallow, &c, &c,
/ love to gather ground the homestead and build
/ in the garden, the yard, and the clubhouse,
/ The society Of man protects, and his structures
shelter them, and his cultivation furnishes the
fruit, the seed, and the insects that they love
to feed upon. Their beauty and grace of form
and movement will continue to please, and
their songs to delight, as long as pleasant
homes and happy households exist in theland.
The rigOr Of climate may compel them to
abandon temporarily their accustomed locali-
ties, but by a mysterious guidance, they re-
turn with the warm breezes of spring to build
their nests and rear their young near the same
spot. 1t is beautiful idea that our favOritc
birds have their chosen homes, which they an
nually occupy and leave to their descendants,
building under the same roOf-tree, or in the
same orchard, or garden, or shrubbery, where
year after year they connect themselves with
the same household, and mingle their warb-
lings with the voices of our children. When
we contemplate this wonderful habit, with all
its tender associations, it seems sacrilege to
destroy and despOi, wantOnly and Unnecessari-
ly, those who thus seek our protection.
The hunting and killing of rabbits at this
season should also be stopped. The same pen
alties are provided in the law (sec. p against
any one who shall "catch, kill or destroy or pur-
sue with such intent on the land of another
between the first day Of January and the first
day Of October, any wild rabbit or hair" The
old rabbits are now breeding, and are very pool
and covered with heas, and the young ones toe
small for eating
The grounds about my residence in HillsbOrC
are very extensive and abound in rabbits, ant
I have never forbidden persons hunting then
at proper time and in proper manner; but i
is not pleasant at this season to have boys will
, a pack of ours in full chase through orchard
vineyard, garden and lawn, when there is 81
much to be injured and so little to be gained.
There is really no kind ofgame, feathered o
furred, that is fit to eat and can be legally kill
ed at this time except the squirrel, the yount
Of which, now half grown, are generally es
, teemed a great delicacy.
If gunners must phil trigger at something
let them shoot hawks, owls, blue-jays, etc.
that destroy birds and birds eggs, and are no
protected by law. WN. 0. COLLINS.
| Innn l 1877.