Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-07

t1oms UpOm Grain and Fruit
AN INTERESTING INVESTIGATION GOING on
AT THE AGRICULTURAL BUREAU-ExPERi-
xENTs TO DETERMINE WHAT BIRDS FEED
upoN-rHk xrGRArIoSs OF BIRDS, &C.
.sr,ose are birds stomachs," said the pro-
lessor of ornitholoyy, as he picked up one Of
collection of odd little phials THE STAR man
had been examining curiously, and held II up
to the light "That's the stomach of a bobo.
link All! and this OF a humming bird. We
have quite . collection of them"
"What are they for, > asked the scribe.
"Why,we want TO find out what birds commit
scientific gentleman. when we want TO
know II = bird Is stealing the farmers
grain, we Just kin him and analyze
inquiries into the habits OF birds. This is the
bird bureau or the court, where birds charged
With commitsing depreaat 10 are put on trial
fore the bar and are taking testimony. Hereto
fore lynch law has been In operation, and many
generally upon suspicion merely. We intend
TO give them . fair trial and will give careful
consideration to all testimony. The most des-
perate criminal we have had to deal with is the
puRnacious little English sparrow. He makes
no defense whatever and he has been convicted
and sentenced to death. He has been caught
in the act of committing most terrible depreda-
tons, and upon examination his stomach has
been found to be overloaded with stolen pro-
u
criminals. His conviction was upon very
strong evidence, but more damaging testimony
| is coming in every day. Here Is an affidavit
been completely stripped Of its crop by immense
bands of these impudent little robbers.
Crow has IN n Case ow@ a
He is very intelligent, as are all the startling
family. He pleads guilty to eating corn that
he steals chicken occasionally and eats eggs,
and that he has even gone SO far as to steal sill
| yer spoons and bright, sparkling jewelry, OF
makes ample returns for all these depredatious
by clearing out bugs and worms and grasshop;
Pers that il lett alone would 90 i m hs u more
ing the farm on shares, and asks, for his own
subsistence, only q very small part OF what he
and seems H a to have the best OF the case. An
analysis of his stomach shows very small per-
centage of grain. His brother, the blackbird,
he is, and make it appear that the fruit they
eat Is very small pay tor the services they per
form, and they claim the right to TAKE ak time fine
nests. In all their cases the court will probably
return a verdict OF not guilty, and they will be
recommended to the protection OF the FARMER"
THE ONLY CONVICTION.
"In fact, the English sparrow" continued the
professor, ''is the only one that has yet been
convicted. All the rest compensate In some
way for their wrong doings, and in the balance
Of good and bad, the good outweighs the bad
Dy u great zeal. I0G TODln Is AL
bird, and the meadow lark Is harmless and
happy, his sweet voice cheering the early rising
farmer. When all the cases on the docket are
tried it will be found that very few birds could
be dispensed with. Too many have already
been condemned on circumstantial evidence.
Farmers see hocks of birds in their grain d,
they accused the SoSolink I went out
s od m xh the
their grain. Great numbers OF the birds were
in the fields, apparently eating the grain, but
shot about forty of them, and when examined
their stomachs found not sign of grain, but
any number of insects. They were not eating
grain at all but were freeing it from destructive
insects. However, when they change their
feathers and become rice-birds they change
their good habits also and become very destruc-
tive to the southern rice plantations. In large
rice fields it keeps two men busy shooting them
all day long. each man using up 10 pounds OF
powder in u week.
"The owl, with an air of profound wisdom, and
the hawk, with much show of shrewdness,
come into court arm and arm and make their
plea. Both claim that a great injustice has
been done them. They admit that certain Of
their families may be regarded as devourers of
poultry, but deny that this can be charged
they delight most In a diet of mice and grass
hOppers. They say they have rather a distaste
for chicken, and would not eat 1t except when
not responsible for their relations who have
cultivated this ministerial taste. The owl
questions the wisdom OF destroying ones
may be concealed in their midst, and the hawk
contends that it is the duty of the prosecution
to identify the culprit before they can secure q
conviction.
The robins, cat birds, brown thrushes blue
birds, jays and other small birds offer their
stomachs in testimony to prove their in
nOcence.'
ECONOMIC oRN1rHoLoGY.
The object of the pathological branch Of the
Agricultural department, which has been re-
Gently established. is to ascertain the food
habits of the various species of birds and their
habits of migration and geographical distribu-
ton throughout the country, with the view OF
furnishing farmers with Information that will
be of value to them in the preservation of their
crops.
DR.. c. Heart Merriam, who was appointed
the ornithological agent OF the department, ar
rived in Washington a few days ago and is
busily engaged in his work.
The American Ornithological Union has col
lected an immense mass Of information con-
corning the migration of birds, which is exceed
ingly Interesting and valuable. They have
1,4OO agents throughout the continent of North
eose a ses Ss
assistance of lighthouse-keePers all along the
coast is secured, SO that the birds are Swallowed
that the great numbers of birds in passing over
the country do not spread over wide ares, but
have certain beaten tracks, SO TO speak: that
routes which their ancestors have been travel
ing over for hundreds OF years and have regular
places TO stop for refreshments. They generally
follow the low lands, keeping by q river when
they have one in their course, or go along the
coast, and they always follow exactly the same
course year after year. In the migration into
British America in the lake region they do not
cross the lakes at all points. They cross over
the state of Michigan from Lake Erie to Lake
Michigan and follow the shore OF that lake, in
creasing In numbers and concentrating as they
go, until they reach certain point at the
Straits of Mackinaw, where they always cross.
The number crossing at that point In q single
night Is immense. They generally travel at
night, and hundreds of them batter themselves
to death against the light houses in a
single hour. The object of the OrnitholOgists
ascertain where the various species are at GER
tain seasons, SO az to determine how much
damage they can do to crops, &c.
The area over which the observers are scat
tered is co-extensive with the boundaries of the
inhabited portion OF North America, and In
cludes part of the West Indies and Central
and South America. Stations have been estab-
lished in every state in the Union, and all the
territories except Nevada.
The society has classified the birds into per.
manent residents, winter visitors, transient
VISITORS summer residents, and accidental Wis.
itOrs, and has sent out circulars asking peril
nent questions concerning the movements OF
the feathered population. Their habits are
studied closely, but no attempt is made to take
their census The various observations are
quite interesting, in showing the great speed at
which some of the birds travel. They generally
move at night, and 60 as fast as they can to
reach certain feeding station before stopping
to rest. 1t is known that sometimes they
travel several hundred miles without stopping
ming bird, which travels great distances In o
very short time with great ease. The swallow
and the pigeon are very last flyers, too, and
ducks go at the rate OF mile q minute IRE.