The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1903-05-09
USEFUL BIRDS.

= declared on the authority Of Prof. Bea
that the nighthawk is remarkably use
9 full to man and in no way a detrimen
: to him.
The examination of the stomachs o.
nearly one hundred nighthawks showed
that one of the most conspicuous ele-
ments of the food of these individual:
was flying ants. Remains Of flying ants
were found in thirty-six stonlachs, in
twenty-four of which the number rang
ed from 200 to 1900 Prof. Beal says
that while ants have some useful func-
lions, they are mostly annoying and
harmful species, and the thinning of
their ranks by the nighthawks is an
important service. Another important
article Of food with the nighthawk is
the grasshopper, the remains of as
many as sixty of these insects appear
| ing in one stomach. Still other in
furious insects were found in the stom-
achs of the nighthawks.
In addition to these positive benefits
done by the nighthawk; Mr.. Beal points
out that it is impossible for it to be
destructive in any way. It never
touches any vegetable products, not
even taking a blade of grass for its
nest, as it lays its eggs on the bare
sand, earth or rocks. In other words,
it asks nothing of man in return for
the service it renders.
Reckoning from the fact that eighty
seven stomachs collected for examina-
tion contained 10000 ants, Prof Beal
says that the number of such insects
destroyed in spring and summer must
be something enormous.
No doubt the nighthawk would be of
value in Hawaii as elsewhere but its |
increase could hardly be looked for ow- |
ing to its habit of laying eggs within |
reach of the mongoose.
1t is of local interest to note what |
the Audubon Society says of the value |
of the common wild or mourning dove,
which is found here.
rs there a farmer in the country
who, after a hard days work with
hoe or cultivator, has not wished that
prevent the rapid growth of noxious
weeds and at the same time eman-
cipate him from the sweating brow, the
blistered hands. and the aching back?
There is one means of weed destroying
that has been entirely overlooked by
the agriculturists. probably because
they never seriously considered the
food habits of the dove. Recent in
vestigations made by the Biological
Survey, United States Department of
Agriculture, of the food of the dove,
prove this bird to be of incalculable val
ue. The examination of the contents
Of 237 stomachs of the dove shows over
30 per cent of its food consists wholly
Of vegetable matter in the shape of
seeds; less than per cent being animal
food. Wheat. oats, rye. corn, barley
and buckwheat were found in $50 of
the stomachs, and constituted 80 per
cent of the total food. However, three
,ourths of this amount was waste grain
picked up in the fields after the har-
vesting was over. The principal and
almost constant diet. however. is the
seeds of weeds. These are eaten at all !
seasons of the year. They constitute
"A per cent of the annual food supply,
md show very little variation during
my month. Some of the seeds eaten
we're so minute it would seem that none s
but the smallest species of birds would
Eat them, and then only when driven
% do so by lack of other food" II
Itemizing the contents of the stom- t
chs of three particular doves, an agent
# the Audubon Society. Mr.. butcher,
shows that they prevented the POSSIBLE /
ty of the growth of $4,000 noxious {
veeds. Here in Hawaii they feed large
y upon lantana seeds.
Says Mr.. butcher in conclusion: .It i
s question for the farmers to set t
lie whether they will permit anyone to t
ill on their land birds that annually q
lestroy tons of the seeds of pigeon
'rass, ragweed, smartweed, bindweed, / C
nd many other noxious plants, and are I
hus worth so much as helpers on :.
arms, The matter resolves itself into .
question of figures, i. e., dollars and c
ents to the farmers. If three doves at t
ne meal destroy %, 100 weed seeds. and p
hus prevent the growth of the same :.
lumber of prospective weeds, how D
much good will all the doves on farm r
+ in State, or in the country at large II
ceomplish? Or. to present the case in .
mother way, how much will it cost in
ime' labor, and actual cash. to de- CO
troy what the doves will eat if they II
re protected and encouraged to remain
n the farms. The farmers in the
United States spent in 1899 the enor .
nous sum of 1866. So5, 921 for labor; how