The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1897-07-10

its industry. But four tufted titmice
contained no less than ESQ specimens.
and nine long-tailed chickadees had Sc
cured by hard work 4Sl of these enc
mics of agriculture. Four slender
billed nuthatches had the remains of
e2 locusts. But the little warblers also
insisted in taking hand" in the gem
eral massacre, for seven golden war
blers turned in n locusts and l76 other
insects. Five black-throated green
warblers had secured 1l6 of the hop
pers and 104 other insects. Four black
poll warblers gathered 1913 locusts and
Al other insects. Eight prairie warblers
showed the remains of 116 locusts and
a still larger number of other insects
Seven barn swallows called in l3o To-
Gusts; eight cave swallows exhibited
326 of the pests; five bank swallows
contained lo4, and ten purple martins
had sacrificed 265 of these insects.
Many of these birds were seen to feed
the inmates of their nests with young
locusts.
But the roll call does not stop here,
even If our space should; and we would
gladly give the complete record-for
the roll OF honor includes the yell
low-headed blackbird, the vireas.
shrikes, the bobolinks, Baltimore ORR
oles. Brewers blackbirds, purple
grackle and others which ate locusts
almost without limit. Not only these
birds did their full duty, but even the
ravens, the crows, the magpies and
the blucjays followed up the good
work and consumed vast numbers of
the pests. The fycatchers and pewees
were not far behind, while 34S hop
pers" were taken from the stomachs
OF seven night hawks. The humming
birds are generally regarded as simply
ornamental, but Prof. Aughey states
that his cat caught specimen of the
ruby-throated humming bird, whose
stomach contained the bodies of four
locusts. Ten specimens of the yellow
billed cuckoos yielded 416 locusts and
15I other insects. But the woodpeck-
ers were evidently bent ON business,
and did not confine themselves to
single article of diet, for 30 woodpeck-
ers contained $50 locusts and 725 in
sects of various sorts. Even the birds
OF prey seemed ito have joined in the
good work, for IS owls examined dis
played the remains of almost GOO To-
Gusts and other insects. Not to be out
done by the owls, the two Lawks which |
were taken gave up 31S locusts. In the |
same line followed the wild turkeys, |
grouse, prairie hens and quail. Emu
;,,, tba ,hnra ,,onI q, To r,ra |
variety of shore birds did almost equal |
~ good work, considering that their
natural food is largely found in the
water.
In view of the above, can any
farmer have shadow of doubt as to
the inestimable value of the birds as
aids in protecting his crops? If few
birds furnished such results for a sim
gio days work, what would be the
result were calculation to be made
Of the work of all the birds for an en-
tire season? All sorts of birds were
from the pelican, with it's
mammoth form, to the gem-like hum
ming bird, and all proved to be the
friends of the farmer in protecting his
crops from the ruthless invader. How
foolish is he who allows these his allies
to be hunted as II they were robbers
md enemies, and especially where he
allows them to be slaughtered for no
good purpose. Would space permit we
could refer to hundreds of cases, in
many of which the evidence is even
stronger than any given above, and
all of such unquestioned truthfulness
rs to leave no doubt as to the facts in
he matter. A word to the wise is suf-
icient.
H. II. WATERS.