The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03

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a number of members of the Sierra Club,
together with others who see the import
ance of such step, are interesting them
selves in getting a measure through the
Legislature for the protection of the mead
ow-lark. 1t may be news to readers of
THE CALL that this, CALIFORNIA; most char
acteristic song-bird, is in need of protec-
ton. The pretty little creature is annually
slaughtered by the thousands for the
market.
1t is fact not generally known that the
Commissioners from Australia and South
Africa who some time ago visited this
country in the agricultural and horticul-
tural interests of their own lands were so
delighted with this little fute-throated in
sect-killer, that Californians seem bent
upon eating up, that fund is being raised
in both these countries to secure the I'M
portation and domestication in Australia
and South Africa of the California lark.
He is wanted by the orchardists and farm
ers Of those lands because of the
Commissioners enthusiastic reports as to
the good he Will do as an exterminator OF
insect pests in field and orchard. But,
either for sentimental reasons or from mo-
tives of self-interest, the meadow-lark is
by no means the only bird that our Legis-
lature should hasten to protect. Our can
yons. fields and forests were once plenti-
fully supplied with feathered denizens,
but the entertainments of civilization are
fast driving them away. Unless some &C
ton is taken within very few years, the
last of this part of our territorial riches
will have taken their wings and fed.
Every camping party that goes forth to
strew the face of the earth with its tin.
cans and heels of loaves must needs seek
sport in popping at such birds as are IN
protected by law. 1 have even known en-
terprising pot-hunters of this ilk to fire a
stray shot, from time to time, at quail, or
killdeer, in the underbrush and brag of it
afterward, but, for the most part, they
have a wholesome regard for the law and
content themselves with destroying the
song birds.
"Why do you call them song-birds when
it is a well-known fact that California
birds do not sing?'' a writer from the East
asked of me the other day. I dare say
nearly every Californian has heard this ac-
great many of US, such is the force of con-
slant repetition, have come to believe it,
despite the testimony to the contrary of
our own ears. The fact is that few birds
in any country sing during the winter sea-
son. Here in California the meadow-lark,
the mocking-bird and one or two of the
finches are almost the only birds who sing
the whole year around, and for this reason
these have attained the reputation of being
CALIFORNIA; only song-birds. This reputa-
ton, however, is not deserved. In almost
every instance those birds that in other
countries are singers sing in this favored
land as well and under the same conditions.
The robin. the famous red breasted warbler
of the East, is out here accounted by casual
observers a silent bird, but during the mat
ing season, which alone is his tuneful Pc
Rod in the East, he sings here a song
scarcely to be distinguished from that of
his blood relations east of the great divide.
The same is true of the finches, wrens,
song sparrows and other species Of song
birds which California has in common with
other countries.
] was out in broad pasture few weeks
ago, and perched quietly upon the top rail
OF struggling roadside fence listened for
an hour or longer to the concert rendered
me gratis by perfect mob of larks, finches
and bIackbirds congregated to jubilate IN
chorus over nothing on earth that could
determine, save that the sky was blue, the
air mild and balmy and the fields green
with new grain and orange and gold and
blue with buttercups, peoples and the
beautiful blue-eyed grass. 1 might have
listened for an hour longer had not the
concert been interrupted by the appearance
OF a half-grown boy with his inevitable
fowling piece. He fired into the thickest
OF the congregation and there was gen
eTal scattering. | saw one lark fly straight
up into the air almost as far as l could fol-
low him with my eyes and then drop with
a thud close at my feet. | picked the little
fellow up and found that he was shot clean
through the heart. The lark is a tough,
muscular little fellow, and can carry away
more shot than any other bird of its size.
They never could be supplied for the mar
ket by shooting. They are Melted for that
purpose.
I demonstrated with young Rusticus over
his cruelty. He defended himself by de-
claring that the birds injured the grain
and fruit crops. 1t is needless to say that
this is the sheerest nonsense. There are
not half dozen varieties of birds in Cali
1OTnld UO-uay IDdG 20 HOT IlOTt Gudu justify
their existence by defending our fruit and
grain from the depredations of insects.
There are some, in fact, that to kill is to
put our fields and orchards in jeopardy.
One of these, by the way, is that much
maligned and little understood feathered
warrior the butcher-bird. Strolling along
a country road, one summer day, came
upon thorn bush, wherein l noted fully
a dozen worms and insects impaled upon
as many of the thorny needles. I mar
veled at the appearance of so many of the
creatures, nearly all of different varieties
Had an outbreak of suicidal mania occur
red in the insect world2 was still study
ing the problem, sitting in the shade of the
bush, when I saw bright-cofored body
flash downward from tall tree. It
perched upon a twig of the bush beneath
which ] sat, and proceeded deliberately to
impale upon a sharp thorn an insect which
it carried in its bill. In my surprise l
made a sudden move and the feath-
cred executioneer was off like a flash,
but not until l had recognized
him to be what is commonly
called, in this part of the country, the
butcher-bird. He was really, however, the
white-rumped shrike, first cousin to the
more ferocious northern shrike, which is
the butcher bird proper. The latter is quite