The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1908-09-04
The Audubon Society.

tar0llna, has begun systematic work
in Newbcrry county. State Sccre-
tary James Henry Rice. Jr., arrived
two days ago and at once began Or
ganizing for the protection of the
birds. game and fish Of the State.
Tt was evident that the work was
needed for on the day after coming
here Mr.. Rice had two warrants is
sued before Magistrate Bleasc for two
parties for violating the law against
shooting partridees out of season
This is entirely in line with the re-
cord Of the Audubon Society in South
Carolina and in other States.
TO prevent misunderstanding it
shonld be explained that The Audubon
Society is merely an organization Of
citizens for the purpose Of prot tcctino
the birds. game and fish Of the State
Any citizen may become a member by
paying the membership Of five dol
lars and an annual due of one dol
lar. The society in this State is char
tered by the legislature and the OBJ
jccts arc set forth in the charter.
Those objects are the disscmina-
tion of information about birds among
Tire people of the State and the en-
f"rccmcnt of laws for the protection
or birds. game and non-mi"ratnrv
fish. All the migratory fish. such
Tor example. rs shad and the like,
come under the care of the fish com
mission. The society is eivcn power
to recommend the appointment of
wardcns who arc paid by the society.
The principal work Of the society
OF course lies in protecting insect
birds, for the work Of insect birds is
absolutely essential to the raising of
crops. Space is lacking to 60 into
details but the United States DEPART
mcnt Of agriculture estimates that in
S"cts inflict damage on the crors of
the United States TO the enormous
total of over $7O0,000,000 (scvcn hun
drcd million dollars) each wear and 4
loss of one hundred million dollars
to the forests Of the country.
Now birds constitute the only cf-
fcctual check on the ravarcs Of in
srcts. In Texas the Mexican boil
wccvil was about to wipe out the inn
portant cotton industry Of that great
State and the insect was spreading 50
fast that it also threatened the cot
ton industry of the entire South.
Science was helpless until the birds
took hand in the game and the boil
wccvil was checked. The chief agent
in stopping the ravagcs Of this pest
was the bullbat and very naturally
the State of Texas is taking stringent
measures to protect the bullbat and
even going so far as to buy the eggs
and have them hatched out in incuba
tors.
Likewise the partridge has proved
an efficient check to the potato bug
wherever partridges are at all num-
erous. In South Carolina the par
fridge holds check on the dreaded
Eillbug, whose destructive work is
seen in corn, where the larvae of the
billbug, a small white worm. eats out
he pith of the stalk until the stalk
falls over and dies.
Blue birds eat their own weight in
cutworms every day during the sea-
son and the robin will destroy from
It's to 200 catcrpllars and the pupac
Of these catcrpillars daily, thus max
inc from $4,000 TO 10000 caicrpillarS
taken out Of the community each
year by single robin.
TO make long story short il is
estimated by the department Of agri-
culture that crops could not bn rails
cd more than two or three years,
should the work of the birds stop.
The whole civilized world has set
its fiat against the wholesale dcstruc-
ton Of birds that has gone on so
long and so persistcntly. As a rule
most boys violate the laws without
knowing what The laws are. They
should be taught what are the laws
and why they should observe thcs,
laws.
The State Of South Carolina per-