Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1908-06-09
AERIAL POLICE.
The Mission of the Great Family of
Birds.

The Mission of the Great Family Of
Birds.
Differing widely as they do in struc-
ture and habits, birds collectively are
able in mans interests to police earth,
air and water. The thrushes and other
ground feeders scour the surface of
the earth and hunt under leaves for
hidden insects. The warblers, titmice,
nuthatches creepers and others search
among the foliage and in the crevices
Of bark for all manner Of creeping
things. The wood peckers, a highly
specialized group, perform a SER
vice no other birds are equal to, since
with their specially designed chisels,
hidden larvae that prey on our forest
monarchs. The flycatchers from their
perches dash out for their prey as it
flies from bush to bush or tree to tree,
while the swallows and swifts skim
the air, and with intricate evolutions
snap up such insects as have escaped
the active search of their brethren
nearer earth. The waters, too, and
their Shores have their feathered dem
liens which exact special tribute of the
insect world.
So that, quite aside from questions
Of sentiment, birds must be adjudged
to play an active and important part
in keeping natures balance true,
writes Henry w. Henshaw, in the Ma
tional Geographic Magazine. Their
roll is all the more important, since no
other creatures are fitted for their spe-
cial duties. Moreover, if we may
judge the future by the past, the SER
vices of birds must become increasing
ly valuable as time goes on. Agricul-
ture, always important in the United
States, is constantly assuming greater
Importance. The stream Of immigra-
ton from the Old World and the
steady increase of our own millions
mean an ever-augmenting consump-
ton of food at home, while the de-
mand from abroad for American food
stuffs never ceases for a moment. To
supply this triple demand, better
methods Of tillage must be devised and
more and more acreage must be devot-
ed to agriculture. In part this need
of increased acreage is to be met by
irrigation projects, which, when they
materialize. will make available for
farms and homes millions of acres Of
sterile desert
But increased acreage and larger
crops mean a vast increase Of insect
life, as the result Of more constant
and abundant supply Of food.
Even now. despite the incessant war
fare waged against them, insects are
not diminishing in numbers On the
contrary, in many localities, they are
increasing. Especially are new pests
finding their way into the country, and
as these usually are unaccompanied by
the enemies which keep them in
check at home, they frequently run
riot in the new-found paradise. Well
known instances are the cotton boil
weevil and the gypsy and brown-tail-
ed moths. 1t is estimated by entomol-
ogists that the annual loss Of agricul-
tural products from insect ravages in
the United States Is not less than
$500, 900. To birds, then, we must look
for allies in the continuous warfare
against insect pests, and II they are to
play even the same relative part in the
future as they have in the past they
should not only be protected, but de-
termined efforts should be made to
increase their numbers and make
their work more effective.
What would happen were birds ex-
terminated, no one can foretell with
absolute certainty, but it is more than
likely-nay, it is almost certain-that
within a limited time not only would
successful agriculture become impos-
sible, but the destruction OF the
greater part of vegetation would fol-
low 1t is believed that a permanent
reduction in the numbers of our birds,
even if no species are actually exter-
minated, will inevitably be followed
by disastrous consequences.