The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-11-24
PROTECT THE BIRDS.
a'aos wosia Save Us saiiiions OF Doi-
lars Every YEAR.

To the Editor OF The State:
The announcement In your issue Of
she i7sh shat AZ sdfcs6 will be mtdo
on Monday night to stimulate an In
terest In the State Audubon society Ia
very gratifying to me, as 1t has for
a number OF years been my object to
secure better protection for non-game
birds whose rapid depletion In this
State Is q matter OF the utmost eco
nnmfc Importance to the agricultural
inte rests.
Inc actual damage done to crops In
q single season by insects Is in tho
aggregate enormous amounting to the
value OF not only thousands but mil.
lions Of dollars.
Practically the only method Of de
orsasing the number Of harniul and
destructive insects ID to find an enemy
to them that preys on them, and birds
DO this betttr and more a%ssiduously
than any other known agent. With the
increasing Of in CO eating birds there
Will be a decrease Of insects.
No doubt Mr., Pearson will toll us
how we may encourage the increase of
the birds, and tbs Audubon scoiety
will see to 1t that the best methods
will be put into eff OF.
Ia my mind the boy-with. the.gun
Is n OF the deadliest and most per
sistent enemies of all the ~featAered
tribe. He kill, for pleasure, but it Is
a sad commentary that bis Innocent
pleasure in learning to shoot should be
heightened by tho admixture Of the
still moro innocent blood OF any and
all birds that como within his range
Perhaps tho Audubon o1ciety will belp
to teach him that o boards for O tar.
get will afford HIM equal pleasure In
learning to shoot and that the lives of
birds should be protected rather than
destroyed.
The society can also teach us what
birds should be destroyed, because
they prey on the eggs and young Of
the desirable kinds, and thus afford
those boys who must spill blood an
outlet for the cravings.
I do not write this In o sentimental
vein, but wholly from tho practical
standpoint Of the urgent need Of Of
fective means for checking tho ravag-
es Of insects injurious to crops. In some
rlc,nt years one. fourth of tho corr
crop Of this State has boon destroyed
by INT insect alone-the corn stalk
borer, and this is not the only insect
that injuries the corn crop.
I have no particular liking f)r the
go. called English sparrow and believe
that the total determination Of the
sparrow would be o disbinob gain, not
so much On account Of the actual harm
they do. but owing TO their pugnac
ious ahd unfriendly nature, which pre-
Guides their living In peaoe and har
mony with osher varieties Of birds
aud their we'll known fighting ability
They soon become cole occupants OF
any promises they see ut 90 choose foI
habitation, whether it be city grove,
or country fields.
Perhaps Prof. Pearson can prove
the sparrow to be Of some uae, but ]
believe that Oily ordinance should
be amended to allow the small boy
the privilege of shooting the sparrow
"Un sight" and even 20 offer q pei
capita price for evary sparrow killed..
The stu1y Of animate nature should
be begun In the primary Glasses In
every school In the State, and be con
tinued through the highest grades &c
that every pupil should become thor
oughly f. IN liar with every form G.
wild animal, bird or insect Of tn,
State and learn to disc iminate de
tween the good" and bhe"bad," tt
rotect the former and destroy the
latter. IG might In time have q very
strong influence over them when, a.
men they become employer, employers
and jurymen.
] sincerely hope that the State
branch Of the Audubon society will
become an active, able and thoroughly
live institution. j. W. Bauer.
Columbia, Nov. II, 1906.