Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-02-01
Census OF OUR BIRDS
Biological Surveys Plan to Pro-
teCt Them More Effectively.
TO APPEAL TO CONGRESS.

necessary authority and Money Need
cd Will BE AsI<ed-Start Already
Made In indiana Toward Enumera-
ton Of sonsstsrs.
A census Of the bird population Is
badly wanted by the United States
biological survey. and it is quite likely
one will be attempted. says a 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 far there has
never been 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-
ical survey say. why a bird census
should be taken, and 1t is expected the
necessary authority and whatever
money is needed for the task will be
asked OF congress when the regular
appropriation for the agricultural de-
partment, of which the biological sur
vey is a part, is made up.
Protection of the birds of the coun-
try in a 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
"a happening to the birds of different
species. whether one Is increasing or
diminishing in numbers. Nor can 1t be
reckoned whether certain species are
as numerous as Is economically advan-
tageous.
Many birds are of value to the farm
or 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. If there is to be bet.
ter protection for birds. 1t will 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 Of the birds. 1t has
been made in Indiana, under the direc.
ton Of Professor Forbes, we'll 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
the different varieties ard consulting
| with residents freely as to the number
| Of birds observed about farmhouses
/ nfh kNaN. a.
mating pairs and the like.
The different states are doing a great
Ndeal for bird protection, but there still
remains much to be done. Large mum
bers are ruthlessly slaughtered. One Of
the chief instrumentalities for killing
| off 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
ians do the same thing here.
Before there can be any adequate
bird protection it will be necessary Il
have international understanding and
regulations on the subject. Sugges
tons to undertake bird protection II
an international way have been made
from various countries, but this gov
eminent has given them little counte-
nance. The fact is. however, thai
great numbers of the birds OF the
United States are killed of while they
are away at their winter resorts IL
South America. They are slaughtered
there largely for millinery uses. and
legions of birds that go down to tn,
equatorial regions when winter comes
on return only as ornaments to be pu
on the hats of women.