Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-01-29
CENSUS OF OUR birds
Biological Surveys Plan to Pro
tect Them More Effectively.
TO APPEAL TO CONGRESS.

Necessary Authority and Money Need.
ed Will Be Asked-Start Already
Made In Indiana Toward Enumera.
ton of Songsters.
A census of the bind population is
badly wanted by the UNITED States
biological survey, and ft lis quite likely
one will be attempted says Wash.
ington correspondent OF the New York
Globe. Almost every other kind of
census has been set ON foot in the
United States. but thus tfar there has
never been a count Of the robins. the
swallows. the sparrows. the bluejays
and other, pathological varieties.
Nobody has the ,faintest idea how
many birds are in the United States or
what. kind. Of birds are the most numer-
GUS. There are various substantial
reasons, as the officials of the biolog-
acal survey say. why a bird census
should be taken: and it Is expected the
necessary authority and whatever
money is needed for the task will be
appropriation flor the agricultural de-
ipartment. of which the biological sur
yey is part, is made up.
Protection of the birds Of the coun-
try in much more effective fashion
than is now afforded is the object back
OF the proposed bird census. Now,
there is little means Of knowing what
is happening to the birds of different
species, whether one is increasing or
'diminishingii lin numbers. Nor can it be
reckoned whether certain species are
as numeroHs as is, economically .advan-
tageous
Many birds are of value to the farm
-er and to humankind generally, and
scientists who make "A study of the
subject are able to say about how
many there should be per acre or to
any given stretch Of territory for the
purpose Of doing the most good and
the least injury. II there is to be bet
ter protection for birds, it WEI be
worth while to know all, possible about
the number there are in the country OF
different varieties.
Already a start has been made to-
ward enumeration aef the birds It i,as
been made in Indiana, under the diree-
ton Of Professor Forbes, well known
IN biological circles. 1T has to be done
by observation from one end of the
state to the other, seeing for them
selves how numerous relatively are
he different varieties and consulting
with residents freely as to the number
OF birds observed about farmhouses
and other residences, the number Of
mating pairs and the like.
The different states are doing great
deal for bird protection, but there still
remains much to be DONE Large num-
bers are ruthlessly slaughtered. One Of
the chief fnstumentalities for killing
or birds are the italian colonies that
are scattered about the country, along
railroads in repair or construction
principally. Birds are killed for food
by the million in Italy, and the Ital-
aans do the same thing here.
Before there can be any adeauate
bird protection 1t viii be necessary to
have international understanding and
regulations on the subject. Sugges-
lions to undertake bird protection In
an international way have been made
from various countries, but this gov
eminent has given them little counte--
nance. The fact is, however, that
great numbers of the birds of the
United States are killed off while they
are away at their winter resorts in
South America. They are slaughtered
there largely for millinery uses, and
legions Of birds that go down to the
equatorial regions when winter comes
on return only as ornaments to be put
on the hats of women.