Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-04-22
stanton Speftaiot,
WEDNESDAY, APRIL END, 1891.
ImpOrtance of Protecting Birds.

There is no subject of such vast impor-
lance, about which there is such general
Indifference, not to say ignorance, as the
utility of insectivorous birds and the pre-
priety, ay necessity, OF protecting them.
We have, time and again, for number OF
years endeavored to impress this fact upon
the public mind, and especially upon the
minds of cur farmers, for they are directly
and Immediately interested, as without
the service rendered by the birds in des
troying insects, they could not raise acrop.
If there should be total absence of insec-
tivorods birds for ten years, the whole
world would be stricken with famine such
as has never existed. Whilst the farmers
are more directly interested in the protec-
ton of insect-de7ouring birds, the whole
people, of every class and condition, are
likewise interested to like degree, though
not so Immediately, for they are dependent
for their subsistence upon the products OF
the farmers, and the farmers are depend
ent upon the birds for their products. The
ultimate fact is, that man in a civilized
state is dependent upon the birds Of the air;
for without successful agriculture there can
be no advanced stage of civilization, and
without birds, there can be no successful
agriculture; therefore, there can be no high
state of civilization without birds. This is
still new country with vast forests in
which the birds can live and multiply and
escape the net of the fowler and the gun OF
the sportsman, and hence the necessity Of
protecting the birds from destruction has
not been felt to that degree it will be in the
future; but it is time now to Learn the i'm
portanco of such protection; and protect
i've policy should be at once adopted, for o
double reason-1st because, as the country
increases in population and the forests are
denuded of their trees. the number of birds
will decrease; and secondly, because the
insects by transportation and migration are
constantly increasing. Until few years
since, the potato bug, that is now such a
pest, was confined to the Rocky Mountains
where it subsisted upon species of wild
night. shade. AS this insect has reached US
by migration, SO have many others. Some
are brought by transportation from other
countries, as the green grub on the cabbage
which was brought from Europe to Canada,
whence it migrated South into the United
States.
With the destructive insects of one kind
and another constantly on the increase, and
the birds that destroy them constantly on
The decrease, it is very evident, that, I'M
less more attention is paid to the protec-
ton of insectivorous birds, there will be q
great dimiaution in the crops of our far
mers, and the country will suffer loss that
cannot be computed. The great sin Of the
last few years, committed at the behest Of
a foolish fashion, has been that of The kill
ing Of millions of birds that their plumage
might be put on the hats of ladies'.
None of our native birds should be allow
ed to be killed. We have little foreigner
that was brought to this country under
total misrepresentation Of its nature and
habits-the English Sparrow-that might
be exterminated without loss, for it is not
an insectivorous, but grain and seed eat
ing, bird. We have net native bird, Of
which we have any knowledge, that does
not deserve to be protected, as they
all render beneficial service much greater
than any injury they infict. The little
injury they do is observed, but the vast
benefit they render is not observed or APP
preciated as it deserves to be. We should
not charge them with the little injury they
do, and fail to credit them with the impor-
tant benefit they render. We should at
least be just to our best benefactors. We
have been for years in favor Of a law to
prohibit the killing of any inse0tivorous
Birds and hope yet that such law will be
enacted, for we believe it would do a''great
of good"
We would call the SPECIAL attention of the
Farmers Alliance to the Importance Of
having the birds protected, and would be
pleased to see the Press take Up this sub
ject and urge its Importance upon the pub.
lie mind, for we believe it to be subordi-
nate to ncne other. To protect the birds
will cost nothing, whilst it will result in an
incalculabe benefit to the country. We
hope our people generally, and our farmers
particularly, will think on this subject and
give the public the benefit of their views.
1t will afford US pleasure to publish them.
The minds of the farmers are now very
seriously considering the question of the
Improvement of the public roads, and very
properly SO, for it would be to their interest
to have them even at great cost; but at
the same time VIC would ask them to con-
slider the question of protecting the birds,
which will cost nothing, and which is not
of less Importance in the end than good
roads; for whilst without good roads the
farmer has difficulty in marketing his
products, without birds be woad have no
prcdncs to market. FIRST provide for
raising products successfully, and then for
the proper facilities for marketing Them
Protect The bids and improve the roads,
and both objects will be accomplished.
In our presentation of this question for
consideration we have paid no regard to the
esthetic side of it, on which much could be
said in behalf of the pleasure given by the
sweet notes of music of these little wood
land choristers, and the beauty of their
plumage, and graoefulness of their flight,
&c, for we desired to present it in plain,
prosaic. prsctioal, business like aspect, and
hence have not indalged in any poetic rhap-
eody appealing to sentim ent and aesthetic
tastes. The impor. ance of the service rem
dered by the birds needs nothing of that
hind to be used in support Of the policy of
) protecting them. 1t is, or soon will be, a
matter of absolute necessity, and the soon
er it is done the better for all.
X.
Favorable Prospects Of Good Crops.