Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-04-21

5000 miles, and those of the tiny hum
ming bird. whose body would make a
scant thimbleful of flesh all told, are
scarcely less, and certainly exceed 1000
miles. But That beautiful little summer
yellow bird, which occasionally builds lis
nest under our chamber window, sends
some Of lis kin even to the white sea foam
# the Arctic ocean. where they arrive the
last of May; only ten or fifteen days after
the sun has begun to ride continuously
above the horizon, and yet these have
come all the way from Guatemala, over a
distance OF 3 800 miles, leaving members,
even Of their own species, to spend The
summer among those tropical scenes.
Wonderful mechanism that, which in a
stomach no larger than a pea, and an ali
mentary canal about six inches long. will
manufacture from two or three slim cater
pillars, fly, moth or spider, its own
fuel and use it with such incompatible
economy as to transport itself through the
air during a whole night, at the rate of
about fifty miles per hour and at the same
time maintain Its temperature at about
lO4o +. In a surrounding medium not ex-
ceeding fifty or sixty degrees and yet this
is what the summer yellow bird does dur
ing its extended journeys. 1t has been
estimated that some of the swallows are
capable OF doing seventy miles an hour.
The exquisite and varied songs Of many
birds, their beautiful colors, their grace
ful forms, their curious methods of nest
building and their attractive ways have
always made them objects of intense
lntere,t to the young. There is, however,
another side to bird life which should be
far better known and much more fully
appreciated than it is. | refer to their
great and indispensable services to man,
as insect destroyers. There are exceptions
to the general rule, it is true, but taken as
a class the world over, it is safe to say
that more than three fourths of the food
of ali land birds is insects.
From the stomach of a wild pigeon were
taken nine full grown crickets, four grass
hopners, two caterpillars and one harvest
man. From the stomach of a young
partridge less than a week old were taken
thir cen caterpillars, seven harvestmen
and one grub; from that of night-hawk
were taken FIVE grasshoppers, eight square
shouldered bugs and ten scorpion bugs,
none of which were less than three. fourths
of an inch long. Three golden, winged
woOdpeckers mad In their stomachs respec-
lively 225, 900 and 200 ants each. In the
stomach Of one hairy woodpecker were
found eleven wo0d-boring grubs and thir-
teen measuring worms. The actual
amount of food which these birds consume
daily, it we except the night-hawk is prob
ably three times that what was found in
their stonlacbs. Seven Carolina waxwings,
or cherry birds as they are called with US,
shot in an orchard infested with canker-
wolms, we're found to have in their stom
achs nearly 100 of these destructive pests
each.
1t has been shown by careful estimate
that the number of bird which spend the
summer in Wisconsin must exceed $4,000
600 and the members of this vast army are
hotly in pursuit of our insect enemies
during 100 consecutive days, capturing
and destroying certainly more than fifty
Insects each daily. Further than this the
number of birds which pass through our
state ON their way to and from their sum,
mer homes is much greater than those
which live with us and the service they
render is very great and extremely impor-
tant. In the spring they snatch up loany
a beetle, moth and fly which have survived
the rigors Of winter and are just out to
lay their eggs. While in the fall they
cap ure those which have either found or
are in quest of winter ZONES. Twice
every year the birds of British America
ransack the United States and hold the
average yield Of orchard, garden, pasture,
field and meadow far ebove what it might
otherwise he.
Much may be done to increase our bird
population, and in this direction is to be
found one Of the great advantages of
Arbtr Day forts. Birds are fond of trees
and many require them. The lone trees
standing III the fields should not all be cut
down. the king birds need them and they
will more than repay whatever damage
these trees may do. I believe it would
pay. not only to leave some Of those native
trees starding which are growing along
line fences, but to plant others there for
the express purpose of furnishing nesting
places for birds.
Boys should be encouraged to put up
house, but at various places in the open
felos The bluebird, house wren and the
purple martin are birds which never mo-
lest fruit or grain and will occupy these
houses gladly. Barns should be construct
Gu W ltG tut SWALLOWS III Thtu6T GudE W
keep them out. They are great destroyers
of the mosquitoes and flies which worry
stock, including the BOTTLES which in'est
horses, cattle and sheep.
A person can purcho>e at nominal
cost plenty of books that will help him to
demolish every specimen and destroy all
its beauty IN the most scientific manner
and will tell him all essential facts in the
most apt and pertinent way. 1t is well
to buy Botany for ones OVID improve
ment, but let him remember that text
book has a passion for getting in between
the teacher and his pupils. Science is
not wanted, facrs are not wanted III the
lower classes: it is love of nature and an
appreciation Of its beauties that come
only from contact with it that we must
teach, so that when the child is grown
and the years press upon him he will
know how and where to go to the foun-
talnhead of rest and recreation.