The Portland daily press., 1886-10-18
FROM WASHINGTON.
A Study Of Birds.

WASHINGTON, Oct. 1.-THE division OF
economic ornithology in the Department OF
Agriculture has obtained material Tor q
series of bulletins upon the, relations Oh
several common species of birds OF tnls
country to agriculture Evidence collected
will have strong tendency in some cases TO
upset widely prevalent notions respecting
the habits and value of certain BIRDS ana
CATION or extinction of pests which threaten
the destruction on valuable brancheS Oh
agriculture In the latter category Dr. y. H.
Merriam head of the division, places the
English sparrow as the chief. This bird was
imported with a flourish OF praise some
wears ago as a great protection OF shade
trees from ravages Of catipilars, lncn worms
and other creeping things and has SO multi
piled and developed among It's new surroun4-
ings as to become, DR.. Merrill THINKS, vaSs-
ly greater scourge than the one it was eX-
pected to counteract. Its present rate OF IN
crease is enormous and new territory WI Wnlcn naa
it invades is extended to more IMAM !oV;oVO
square miles annually. 1t IS essentially
tame bird nesting almost exclusively apout
and upon proceedings OF buildings, put IL
takes long vacations during the fruit grow
ing seasons, and satisfies its fastldeous ap-
petite with the largest and Julc1est OF grapes
and daintiest of the fruits in which WORK OF
destruction its aggregate OF damage u al
its further increase and curtail its rayaglng
propensities is an unsolved problem 1t may
be poisoned or it may be desprlved
of its nest, but neither plan promises per-
manent relief it is wary and suspicious
creature readily learning to avoid places
where any of its fellewS met their Iate,
while as if in anticipation OF future necesSl-
ties it has within the last year or two begun 10
study and practice the act of nest bullding
in trees. The bobolink of the north, the
rice bird of the south, has been receiving
much close attention. from ornithellglst,, ana
his CORRESPONDENT. This cheerful little
creature is found to he rather help1ul 20
northern grain growers: Examination OF It's
nav disclosing the fact that it does not care
for growing grain but lives upon seeds OF
destructive weeds and upon equally destruc,
tive field insects, but it so times its annual
migration as to pass about three weeks IN
the rice fields of the South at season When
that grain is in milky state ana mere us
rayages are enormous. Inc eStlmaGeu an
nual loss to rice planters from depredatlons
of this bird is between $4,000, ,OO0 and $4,-
100000. With regard to. indigenous Dlrds
killing of which Pennsylvania and perhaps
other States pay premiums, DR.. Merriam says
the ornithologists are convinced that tnelr
services are of great value to farmers. mol
more than three out of upwards OF thirty
species war upon domestic fowls and even
these more than renumerative. The other
snecies live entirely upon field mice, grass
hoppers. beetles, and other vermin which
are great destroyers of grain. The crow has
| received considerable attention ana SO IaT
! evidence is in his favor. He is a corn tnlei
| to be sure but her pilfering may be, guarded
| against while on the other hand destroys
| some kinds of field vermin in great NUMBERS
| To say nothing of his work as scayenger'