The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-08-18

tentlOn to the slaughter OF the meadow
lark which is at present carried on, with
the sanction of State legislation TO lend 1t
dignity. 1t is a pleasure to see that inter-
est in the matter has not waned, and that
other papers have come TO the front in the
good cause. In order that the sentiment
in. favor of the lark be not of merely local
and ephemeral character it seems fitting
that the people be somewhat more definitely
instructed concerning this bird which their
lawmakers have so lightly condemned to
determination.
1t is truly a serious matter to mar the
works of nature. A creature which the
process of time has developed through
ages innumerable cannot be swept from
the face of the earth in day without
deep responsibility resting upon some one.
The murderous vandals who slaughtered
the hQrdes Of bison on the prairies, and the
brutal fishermen OF the north seas who
DESTROYED the great aux in its lonely fast
nesses-how much greater their sin than
that of the ancient mariner who killed but
one albatross! But these were rude fel-
lows, who perhaps could not be expected
to know better severed as they were from
all the refining influences OF civilization, OF
home and OF womankind.
When, on the other hand a community
of people, ostensibIy advanced beyond the
stage of barbarism, deliberately declares
that certain bird which God has so
fondlv and laboriously fashioned shall be
exterminated, it is time to pause and see
what we are about. / say deliberately de-
clares; but this is, indeed, too great an in
justice, for it is largely due to the folly of
haste and the rashness OF acting upon i'll
gathered information that we owe such
legislation as this.
There is in nature 6 curious balance of
power more subtle than that which binds
Europe in its cobweb leash. Every creature
that exists. as well as every creature that
is past or to come, is connected and inter-
related in its life as we'll as in its structure.
Whenever you kill fly you are altering
the whole adjustment of animal and vege-
table life to a certain extent. Nor is this
to be understood as rhetorical hyperbole,
but rather as a scientific verify. Each
living being occupies certain amount of
room in the world, thereby crowding out
some other being which might exist in its
stead.
Every animal lives upon other animals
or upon plants, and is thus a destroyer.
Through the course of time this adjustment
OF. the forms of life has become so intricate
that it is like house of cards. Remove
one and all the others fall out of their
places and require to be newly established,
From this it is evident what far-seeing
Intelligence is necessary to safely pronounce
upon the destruction of natures equilib-
rid m. We all know the result of cutting
down. the mountain forests. but how many
of us know the result of killing the meadow
lark?
For a few moments let US see what sort
of a fellow this bird is, where he came
from, where he belongs in the order of
things and what he is doing in the world.
At some time in the long ago past there
was bird inhabiting the tropical portions
of the American continent, in size proba-
bly, equaling or exceeding the robin, in
color brownish gray. profusely streaked
above and below and in family character
istics between sparrow and a crow. In
its prime the bird was doubtless a very
abundant and thriving species, for the
tropics, in the course of time, became too
crowded to hold its numbers and it wan
q dered forth over the face of the earth.
In the course of its wanderings its habits
or life became changed to suit new sur
roundines and new conditions of existence
with which change came also modifica-
tions in its color, structure and size. From
this parent stock were descended the fam
lily of American starlings, blackbirds and
orioles - the Icteridee = of which the
meadow lark is a worthy and distinguished
member. The streaked brown1sh gray
color of his ancestor, somewhat modified
by time, has persisted to this day upon his
back, being of great importance to him
from its lnconsplcuous hue, which affords
protection from his enemies. In order
that he may be- recognized from afar by
the members of his own kind, he has two
white outer tail feathers, habitually con-
cealed, but Enthusiastically exhibited
before alighting.
Once upon the ground, however, espe-
cially after walking a few steps in his
quaint way (for the lark and his cousins
are not hopping birds like the sparrows),
it requires sharp eye to detect his where
abouts To atone for the transformations
hues of his back the breast is of a bright
fresh yellow color, with broad crescent
: of black upon the throat. This gay livery,
! suspect, has been developed by the coy
taste of the female, who would not mate
with somber-hued master, but chose
rather more gayly clad sutton.
by thus briefly tracing the line of devol-
:. opment of the meadow lark from its ances-
trail form, l have indicated the position it
occupies in the bird world among the
blackbirds, the orioles and the gay bobolink
of the Eastern States. Of all this the
worthy lawgivers who have doomed it to
extinction are doubtless ignorant, but OF
its mischievous habits and its thieving
propensities they feel very confidently as
sured. Are we then to take it for granted
that the bird is a menace to the crops OF
the land, and that despite its sweet song
and winning ways we must, for our own
protection, destroy it?
o men. of little vision, who can weigh a
handful of grain in the balance with soul
as pure as the spring that bubbles from the
mountain side, as sweet as the notes of a
flute and as full of happiness as the laugh
ter of children? Who that has heard a
flock of these birds on some clear February
morning when spring is making the first
tinnid advances of the season can forget
: the joyousness of the song or the inspira-
ton of new life and fuller being which it
engenders?
No bird with which / am familiar has a
more varied song than the lark. The
thrush alone excels it in personal fervor.
The oriole may sing more wildly, the lin
net more exuberantly, the wren more mer-
.rily, the robin more heartily; but for
sweet, sustained melody, for pure, joyous
serenity, for the rural poetry of plowed
fields and ripening grain the meadow lark
is unapproachable among his compeers.
Another virtue which is not to be despised
is the faithfulness with which he sings.
There is hardly month in the year when
his voice may not be at least occasionally
heard. Even now in the month of August,
when the grain is harvested and all other