The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-05-12
SLfNDEKS OF IsIRDs KEFUTED.
Popu'sr Idea Of Their Destructiveness Dis
proved.

WASHINGTON. May 6-Dr. Q. Hart
Merriam. chief Of the division or ornithol-
Cpy of tho Agricultural Department. has
been for several Yeas engaged il exam
lining and aTaiyzi1g the contents Of the
stomachs cf hawks, owls crows. black
birds. meadow larks and other birds OF
North America which are supposed - be
strikiuely beneficial or injurious 10 the
crof S Of farmers.
The stomacls OF over 1000 birds. taken
at different seasons Of the year. have been
already aualyzad and the contents deter
mined, while some l2,ep are still uneNaD-
inrd The results iu some cases have been
remarkable. showing In several notable
instances that popular ideas regarding th"
injurious effects of certain birds were
wholly mistaken, and that they have
been The victims of unjust prosecution.
This had been found 90 be especially the
case with hawks and owls for the
slaughter Of which many states give
hOuntios. Pennsylvania i'm TWO years gave
over $4,000 I'm hawk and owl hounies
Examinations of the stomachs Of these
birds proved conclusively that % FER cent.
of their food was field mice, grasshop-
urrs. crickofs, etc, which were infinitely
moro injurious 10 farm crops than they.
IN was found that only five kinds Of
hawks and owls over tOlch.t poultry, aht
then only 90 a very limitc- extent. \
bulletin now about going 10 press on the
crow also shows that bird is not so black
- DO is painted by the farmer The
charges against the crow We're that he
ATE corn and destroyed the eggs and poul-
try and wild birds Examination of their
stomachs showed that they eat noXious
insects and other animals. and that al
though % per cent. Of their sod is corn
it is mlstly waste corn picked mp ia the
~ o. ID
In was found that the shells We're eaten
20 % very lipted extent for the lime
They eat ants. beetles catepillars, bugs,
flies. grubs. etc. which do much damage
Bulletins are also being prepared on the
cuckoo and other black birds king birds
meadow larks. cedar birds, thrushes, cat
birds. sparrows. etc. I'm many cases pop
1ilar ideas are found To Doe untrue. In
the case of the king bird. killed by the
farmer Muder the impression chat De eats
bees. u-was found that be ate only drOnes
and rohbcr flies. which themselves feed
ON bees and which destroy more bees in
"a day than the king bird does in year
The king bird. therefore, is 10 Dee encour-
aged rather than slaughtered. The cuck-
COS are also found to bee very useful birds
ir this country Because The European
cuckoo robbed nests and laid therein It's
o1 n eggs. popular fancy attributed the
same vicious habit 20 our own cuckoo.
lie u.s. however. not dcprav'd like HIS tu-
Iopean uamcsake, bat "a very decent f"l-
low. who does much good ~ the dcstru 20
ton of insec-s. Tho result IF this work,
Br Merriam SAYS will cnurc tO the pro-
lection Of beneficial birds and the dcstrlc-
ton OF Injurious 1t Will Also. DE says.
do missionary work iu the matter OF
state bounti,s. most of whien are ill-di-
rectod. and none OF which, he thinks, have
good results The crusade. for instance,
AGAINST the English sparrow be said re-
suited in the destruction OF many OF our
Iativc sparrows. Bounues on panthers.
wolves etc., had I'm the past resulted in
tic manufacture OF bogus scalps.
Dr. Merriam IS also preparing map
showing the life zones of the United
states for birds. nammais. reptiles ana
plants, "a work OH which he has been en-
gagged for sixteen years.