Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-18
ROBIN NOT A GAME BIRD
Audubon Society Wins Another
victor After Hard Fight
Red Breast.

NJ ES Ay 17.-After four years
SNOA shting the first battle for
solsN Sreast has today been won in
|. .,0N 4. the heart of the section where
SSN favorite American song bird is
-tchered by the million for the market
That the robin has at last been removed
from the list of game birds by the legisla-
ture of the Creole state was announced
today at the headquarters OF the National
Association of Audubon societies. AS the
first fruits of a persistent campaign Of
education in the south, the officers Of the
association declare their victory will mean
the saving Of dollars worth Of crops for
each tiny carcass spared as a tid-bt for
the gourmand.
BY a close vote the Lawmakers Of Louisi-
ana have repealed the old game bird law
An which the robin was classed as game
and have decreed no open season for the
wholesale destruction OF the slightly species
a million members Of which were butchered
for their mouthfuls OF meat last year
alone. only Texas and Alabama Of all the
southern states now possess similar
statutes, though it is declared that senti-
ment in the south is becoming generally
aroused against the slaughter of these IA
vorite birds of the country while they win
ter in lower latitudes.
That successful agriculture in this coun.
try would become impossible and vegeta-
ton soon be destroyed If the robin and his
brother birds were exterminated has just
been asserted by Professor Henshaw of
the biological survey, and the Audubon
authorities declare that his warning may
come too late IL this victory for the robin
is not followed by a general campaign to
preserve and even increase every such
race of birds. Scientific examination Of
hundreds of robins has shown that almost
half of their diet is composed of the in
sects that mean sure destruction to the
trees and crops of the land. These very
insects. 1t has been proven, damage the
countTy's crops to the extent of S50C .O00, ,OOO
annually, while their added ravages OF
woods and stored crops, it is calculated
rob the land of nearly a billion dollars
each year. Though insect pests are known
to be increasing, their natural destroyers
the birds, are being gradually exterminated
at an alarming rate. it is declared.
To open the eyes OF the public to this
crucial situation the National Association
of Audubon societies has been exerting its
utmost resources for years In a general
educational campaign. Encouraged by the
results of this work for the robins in
Louisiana, the officers of the association
declared today that every means at their
command would be used throughout the
country to rouse the people to the value
of the dying birds.
This is a time of great emergency and
the people must act at once by preserving
their bird resources, before it is too late"
said William butcher president Of the
association, at its offices, l4 Broadway
today II know that some few people
realize the gravity of the situation, for
am receiving contributions with letters
asserting that this work is second only in
economic importance to forest preserya-
tion We are trying to reach every man,
woman and child in this broad land with
the story Of our common danger, and we
want every bird Kver farmer, merchant
and citizen of any walk in life to help us
push the enormous task we have under
taken for the economic good Of every
American"