The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1909-01-27
BIRDS OUR FRIENDS
But - GREAT THEM AS OUR
ENEMIES.
The Vast Majority of Birds Are
Harmless-.An Economic Force
For Mans Protection


For Mans Protection
All the brids are mans friends eX-
cept a precious few, and even these
few are not as bad as they have been
painted, says the Columbia Record.
But, as the Record goes on to say,
men in their ignorance treat them
IS enemies, and so it behooves those
who have some knowledge OF their
value to come to their defence. We
are glad to see that the Audubon
society Of South Carolina, which has
already made our people better ac-
quainted with birds, is doing this.
Its last annual report is a splendid
tribute to our feathered friends that
ought to awaken our people to the
Importance of safeguarding them
against the ''snares Of the fowler
and their ruthless murder by the
sneaking pot hunter
1t is gratifying to know that the
lesire for the protection of birds is
becoming more pronounced and
widespread, not only because they
have been found t Doe of incalcuaLle
5eneft to the human race, but from
feeling of sentiment. AS our peo-
pie learn more and more Of bird life,
Of the absolute value birds are III
making this a habitable globe, we
ire confident that not only will right
aaws be enacted for their protection
but the State will see to it that tn;
laws are rigidly enforced.
The vast majority Of birds, as has
been SAID, is harmless, an economic
force provided by nautTe for mans
protection and happiness. The bene'
icent birds have been classified, anc
set apart from the small number that
are more destructive than helpful
They destroy what, without them
would make this world a desert, in
capable OF supporting human life
| We shall not enter upon discussion
Of the billions of insects and worms
hat they destroy annually, which, il
left undestroyed, would make il
impossible to raise any sort Of crop
Ever insect-eating bird is worth
annually to the farmer more thar
ae knows. Even the much malignet
crow is worth his weight in gold
| Granting that he pulls up an occas
;onal grain of corn just sprouted
le destroys pests a thousand fole
more destructive to the young corr
or wheat or oats or barley then he
IS; and the farmer ought cheerfulll
TO grant him this smaller measure
of toll for the immense amount O.
| good he does. 1t is said that bull
>at, which men shoot for mere pas
time, will destroy in day thousand:
Of the moths that lay the eggs O.
cotton caterpillars whose rayage'
cost cotton planter from $4,000,
900 to 100000 in single sea
son.
SO we might go on showing tht
immense value of each kind of bird:
70 the agricultural interests of tht
country, but if we did so we shouIc
have no time to speak for the bird:
from the standpoint Of sentiment
This would be tame sort Of world
| without the birds, that form those
''choirs invisible about which
James Lane Allen writes so charm
ingly They are associated with the
lappiest times Of ones life.
We never hear a catbird sins
that we do not recall boyhood days
when the apple OF cherry trees il
the yard Of the old home were made
early in the day, while the dew
tlrops like gems shone in the grass
vocal with his jubi!ant song. Ant
| the little house wren, because of it:
| connection with those far off time:
Of happy boyhood, has for us pc
culiaT charm, and we would no more
think of .robbing it of its life thar
we would child's. So of the blue
bird and the robin, though of the
latter we have in past ignorance
| killed many one, but never after
earning that for song they compare
-avorably with our cardinal bird OF
our shy brown thrush that loves the
ark, dim woods.
Even the blue jays, pert and i'm
pudent though they be, which the
negroes used to tell us-and we ac.
epted their story as gospel truth
carried sand to the Devil every Fri
lay, we love; nor would be want tc
ill one of them now even had we
| lever discovered that the negroes
we're only giving voice to their su-
oerstition They may be classed as
the dandies among birds, and yet
IN spite Of their shrill, discordant
cries, that we used to associate with
profanity, they are good company
and beautiful to see.
All, what pleasure birds are and
how dull life you'd be without them!
Why men want to kill them, we can
not understand. They are both the
life and the happiness Of the world.
Perhaps when we get hold Of that
truth, birds life will be regarded
as a sacred thing.
INSULT TO A WOMAN AVENGED.