St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-10-18

which Have Been Regarded as En-
emies of the Farmers.

which Have Been Regarded as En-
emies of the Farmers.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 17.-The material
is largely in hand in the newly-organized
division of economic ornithology of the de-
partment of agricultulture for series Of
bulletins upon the relations of several
common species Of birds in this country to
agriculture. The evidence collected will
have strong tendency in some cases to
upset widely prevalent notions respecting
the habits and value of certain birds and in
others to lead to measures OF extinction OF
those which threaten destruction to valua-
BILE branches of agriculture. In the latter
category DR.. G. 81. Merriam, the head of
the division. places the English sparrow as
the chief. This bird was imported with
flourish of praise some years ago as an
agent for the protection of shade trees from
the ravages of caterpillars and other creeping
things and has so multiplied among its new
surroundings as to become, DR.. Merriam
thinks. vastly greater scourge than the
one it was expected to counterfeit. Its
present rate of increase is enormous, and
the new territory which it invades
is estimated at more than $50, 900
square miles annually. 1t Is eS-
sentially town bird, nesting almost exclu-
sively about the projections OF buildings
but it takes long vacations during the fruit
growing seasons and wreakS its fastidiouS
appetite on the largest and juiciest of grapes
and the daintieSt of tree fruits, in which
work of destruction the aggregate of dam
ages is almost incompatible. How best to
prevent its increase and curtail its ravaging
prOpensitieS is an unsolved problem. 1t
may be shot or poisoned, or it may be
despoiIed of its nest. but neither plan prom
Uses permanent relief. 1t is a wary and
suspicious creature, readily learning to
avoid places where any of its fellows met
their fate, WHILE as if in anticipation of
future necessities, it has. within the last
year or two, begun to study and practice the
art of nest-building in trees. The bob0llnk
of the North (the rice bird OF the South
has been receiving much closer attention
from the OrnithOlOgist and his correspond
ents. This cheerful little creature is found
to be rather helpful to the Northern grain
growers, and examinations of its nav show
that it does not care for the growing grain,
but lives upon the seeds of destructive
weeds, and upon equally destructive field
insects. But it so times its annual migra-
ton as to pass about three weeks in the
rice fields of the South at the season when
that grain is in the milky state, and there its
ravages are enormous. The estimated
annual loss to the rice planters from
the depredations of this bird is between
So. 900. 600 and 81 900. 900. With regard
to our Indigenous birds of prey-the hawks
and the owls--for the killing OF which
PENNSYLVANIA, and perhaps other states.
pays premium, DR.. Merriam says Ornl-
biologists are convinced that their services
are of great value to farmers. Not more
than three of upwards of thirty species
prey upon domestic fowls. and even these
more than remunerate the farmers by kill
ing field mice. The other species live en-
tirely upon field mice. grasshOpperS. beetles
and other vermin, which are great destroy
els of grain. The crow has received con-
siderable attention. but the evidence III
hand is not sufficient to warrant verdict.
So far as it goes it creates impressions in
his favor. He is corn thief, TO be sure,
but his offerings may be guarded against.
while. on the other hand, he destroys some
kinds of field vermn in great numbers. TO
say nothing of his work as scavenger.