The morning call., 1891-01-16
A NOVEL ENTERPRISE.
A Society for the Purpose Of In
porting German Birds.
A Special Boom to the orchardists and Vine
yards of the State if the Performance
Equals the Promise.

Mr.. f. Reiser Of this city has written a
letter to The CALL which is Of such interes,
TO large number OF our people that no
apology IS needed for giving it entire.
He writes: Some time since | read an
article in THE CALL which stated that a
movement was on foot TO form society in
this city, similar TO one now in active opera
ton in Portland, Oregon, the object of
which is TO import German birds to be set
at liberty in the country throughout the
State. Certainly every lover Of nature will
hail this piece of Intelligence with feelings
OF qualification. Imagine the pleasure that
would be experienced in taking a trip to the
country TO hear from the brush, the hedges
and the gardens ihe song of the nightingale,
the robin red-breast and other sweet song
sters, while from the distant woods would
come the anSw ering notes Of the thrush the
sweet mayis of the poets.
Bat the great question for our farmers,
Orchardists and vineyardists to decide is
whether such impOrtatlOns would be
luxury to our lovers of nature and bird
song, and whether such birds would be
detriment or an advantage. This latter is
an unsettled question among scientists,
which the failure to reap beneficial results
in the Importation OF the English sparrow
has served TO complicate. Every one knows
that there are birds that are positively of
great benefit to the truit-grOwer, and every
one is aware that immense damage is also
done to orchards and vineyards by the in-
Vulnerable bugs and scales, against the
blghting effects of which human skill is al
most powerless. How different it would be
II swarmS Of helpful birds would i'll this
country, as they do in Germany, help the
farmer and fruit-grower TO get lid of these
pests and at the same time fill the air and
gladden. the heart with beautiful songs.
make these remarks for the purpose,npf
calling attention TO some OF the most useknl
families of German birds, which could easy
be imported From my youth up have
been a close student of the habits of birds
in Germany, and in addition | have in my
possession the works of the most celebrated
ornlthoiOgists. including such noted men as
Dr. Brehm, and especially Dr. Carl Russ OF
Berlin, author of several works on birds
and their haoltS, VINO Is an honorary mem,
Der OF almost all of the great bird-fanciero'
and breeders societies of Germany, and
who is considered the best authority in
ornithology now living. A few years ago
he was appointed by the German Govern
ment special agent to make report on the
usefulness or barmfulness OF German birds,
and this report, published at the time in his
paper The Feathered World, and in his
Handbook for Bird-Fanciers. is taken as
standard authority with reference 10 this
AOL B-Alop uACh AuOosiob'
Almost all insectiverous birds are useful
in the interests of farming and Embarrassing
| Among the most valuable may be specially
mentioned the large family of grasshopper
warblers (Sylviinfe1, which are beautiful
| singers. They, together with the Humi-
coliue, to which family belongs the nightin-
gale. the robin redbreast, the bluebreast and
| others, are only insect-eaters, and live
mostly in gardens, hedges and brushes, and
! are the best singers. Next in order come
the gnat-catchers (Musccapda), and especi
ally the titmouse Parida) which are beau
| tful birds and travel IN swarms from gar
den 10 garden, pi king diligently the insects
| and their eggs from the trees and from
| under the leaves. Next in imp rtance are
| the trustees (rurdin3) which, after the night
ingale, are the best singers and are very
useful Among these latter the best
known are the soDg-thrush and the black
| thrush, the former living in the
woods, while the latter Ierfers the
| garden and feeds on all kinds of insects and
worms. 1t is true that thrushes do some
| damage to some varieties of berries and
| fruits, but their usefulness far sItrpasses
| any harm they do, and the frult-grower is
| amply repaid for the small amount of fruit
| they consume by the increased quantity he
| obtains from their work of destruction
among the insect creation.
There may also be mentioned the beauti
full family Of finches, including the golden
chaffinch, bull6nch, Siskins, linnets etc
and also the sky lark, which. although liy
ing mostly on all kinds of grass seeds, also
destroys a great many insects, and are
most excellent singers. The starting.
though a fine singer, would do so much
damage to vineyards and orchards that its
importation would not be wise. | wish this
novel enterprise on the part of our citiztps
every success"