Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-29
A Birdiess World =?

a birdlesS place? Will the eagle ana
the robin, the hawk and the humming-
bird, join the great aux. the dodo and
the phoenix? Naturalists tell us that
matters are tending that way, and one
doesn't need to be a scientist to have
noticed the perceptible decrease in the
number of our winged friends. Any
man who has lived in the country
knows there are fewer birds of all
kinds around the farm than when he
was a boy. The caves and rafters of
the barn are no longer hung with long
rows of mud built nests where the cir
cling swallows twitter. There are
fewer robins nests in the big elms
about the house. The sociable little
phoebe bird no longer rears its brood
under the shelter of the piazza. The
barefoot boy who knows where the
orioles nest is hung" has to hunt
longer for it than when Whittier was
young The chorus of bobolinks which
cheers the lawmakers with it's bubbling
melody is smaller than of yore. And
so with most, if not all, of the birds
that we love.
AS far as we know no official or
thorough investigation of this matter
has been made in this country. But
the British government is not satisfied
with merely noting the decrease in the
number of birds, and is trying to get at
the cause and effects of this decrease,
which seems to be apparent in Eng
land and it's dependencies as well as in
New England. The English scientists
declare that the situation is much more
serious than We imagine it. The
British consul in Venezuela states in
his official report that during the past
year 1,53S, 900 birds We're slaughtered in
that country for the purpose of fur
nshing aigrettes for women'S hats,
with the result that several species Of
beautiful birds are practically extinct.
In this country there is no doubt that
the demand for birds and birds feath-
ers for the decoration of feminine
headgear is largely responsible for the
decrease in the number OF birds. Mil
lions upon millions of our handsomest
and sweetest singing birds are slaugh-
tered for this purpose. And the guns
of so-caI.cd sportsmen add largely to
the total destruction. There may be
natural causes for the decrease of the
birds but the two causes mentioned
are certainly important elements in the
matter. And the wanton slaughter
caused by the whim of woman's pride
and cruelty of idle gunners is without
reason or excuse.
There are many things to be deplored
in the passing of our feathered favor
ties. Not only is the loss of the song
and beauty and brightness which go
with their presence, a real loss Of no
small Importance, but there is a more
practical side to the matter which APP
peals to every farmer and gardener
and orchardist. They are the active
cover the earth and fill the air to the
injury Of the crops and the discomfort
of humanity. Their decrease means an
increase in caterpillars. grasshoppers
and the bugs that strike woe to the
heart of the agriculturalist and deple-
ton to his pocketbook. Many more
birds, even though the hawks and
crows also increased, would mean more
profit in farming, as well as more joy
in life to those who love harmony and
beauty in nature.
There are laws in most states which
forbid the destruction of the birds
which are disappearing, but their en-
forcement is like that of the laws
which forbid profanity and walking
upon the railroad track. The birds
have active friends who have been
waging war in their behalf and trying
to arouse public sentiment in their de-
Tense, but the campaign has left much
more to be done. The problem is a
serious one and deserves serious atten-
ton, both from the lawmakers and
from the general public. An increase,
not a decrease, in bird life is what we
want, and it is an end worth striving
for.