, 1904-12-27

iohy SoSh HILL III Dolh lOl luoCSlo
eggs and larvae, or excavating for the
ants and borers they hear within. On
the ground the hunt is continued by
the t%hrushes, sparrows, and other birds
that feed upon the innumerable forms
Of terrestrial insects. Few places in
which insects exist are neglested, even
some species which pass their earlier
stages or entire lives in the water are
preyed upon by Aquatic BIRDS"
which insects or entire lives in the
water are preyed upon by acquatice
birds."'
In nearly every case where the food
habits Of our birds have been carefully
studied, do we find that the good done
far exceeds the possible harm that
might be inflicted by our birds. Allow
ing twenty-five insects per day as an
average diet for each individual bird,
an. estimating that we have about
one and one-half birds to the acre, or
in round numbers rs 5000, 900 birds in
Nebraska, there would be required
1875, 200, 900 insects for each days
rations.
Again, estimating the number Of in
sects required to fill a bushel at 120,-
900, it would take 1885 bushels Of in
sects to feed our birds for a single day,
or 937, 500 bushels for 60 days, or O.
343, $50 bushels for $50 days. These
estimates are very low when We take
into consideration the number of in
sects that various of our birds have
been known to destroy in a single day.
For example, the stomachs of four
chickadees contained 1.02S eggs OF
cankerworms. -Four others contained
about 600 eggs and 1O5 mature females
of the same insect. The stomach of a
single quail contained 1O1 potato
beetles; and that OF another upwards
of 500 chinch-bugs. A yellow-billed
cuckoo shot at six O'Clock in the morn.
ing contained fortv-three tent cater
pillars. A robin had eaten It's larvae
Of Bibio, which feed on the roots OF
grasses, etc., etc.
Birds, like all other animals, feed
upon that food which is most readily
obtained, hence the insectivorous kinds
destroy those insects which are most
numerous-the injurious species.
Estimating hat there is a single
grasshopper, katydid, or cricket to each
square yard of surface, it would require
at least $50, 900 bushels Of these in
sects to cover the state. Not taking
into account any of h myriads OF
other insect forms nor the rapid rate of
reproduction which is going on among
them, these alone would be nearly one
third enough insect food for our birds
during the year. This being true it is
plain that at least twice as many birds
could find the proper insect food in
our state each year.
A perusal Of the various works that
have been written on the economic re-
%lation Of birds to man will support the
statement that, II we were deprived OF
the services Of birds, the earth would
soon become uninhabitable.
In addition to the actual good that
birds do in the destruction Of noxious
insect, as recorded above, many OF
them are engaged for at least one-half
Of the year in hunting out and devour'
ing the seeds of various troublesome
weeds and other, to US, useless plants,
Such is the mission Of the various
sparrows, snowbirds, finches. and long
spurs which often occupy u fields in
Hocks Of thousands during the winter
months.
If, after a%scertaining such truths as
the above regarding birds, we continue
to slaughter them, it is not due to
thoughtlessness on our part. We do ii
wilfully and maliciously. The school
boy may thoughtlessly rob a birds
nest or kill a bird or two. 1t is the
duty Of teacher and parent alike 10
teach bin better. to show him how
wrong it is to destroy life uselessly
It is especially their duty to prevent
the destruction of birds. II each school
bow in the state of Nebraska were to
rob a nest of say five birds eggs, what
would be the result? Ye. the making
Of bird-egg collections is getting to be
such a fad" that almost every boy
enters into it more or less z%ealously al
some time or other. Some single col
~lectors in a single season take 500 OF
more & This should be stopped
We can study birds and their nests
without destroying either. A live bird
is more interesting than a dead one
An egg left in a nest where it will In
due time become a live creature is OF
more interest than an empty egg-sheel
We, as citizens Of the United States
pride ourselves on being highly civi
LIKED and humane. We are in some
directions, in others not. We also
claim to be intensely practical and
business-like in everything. Are We?
LAWRENCE BRUNER,
Professor Of Entomology and Ornithol
ogy, University Of Nebraska
sFrank M. Chapman in Bird Life
Heart Fiuttering.
1 49, l. Az