The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-13
The Womlan's Page Of the Tinnes-Dist
Why the Birds
Should8Be Protec teds

Why the Birds
| Should II otec ted
1t Is a well.known and we1l-proyerl rs
TACT that the bird is one OF, the most Z
valuable or Natures allies to tho far
mer In his work. Without him FARM
Ing would be Impossible, for tho tres
mendous number of insect pests with M
which the earth teens would quickly
put the farmer out of business were
1t not for his little assistant. the bird.
Very few birds are entirely harmful,
and most OF them nre distinctly bctle-
ficlal even tho ones we arc accus-
birds cat insects. Many eat nothing
else. Thrushes, 1arks and wrena
search, the ground for their food, under
logs and leaves and In brush heaps.
Who has not seen the alert, quick
irnotioneH little brown men Hitting
busily among the underbrush for her
food and starting up with nervous
flutkcr nrd scolling voice when dis
turbed in her pursuits?
Warb1ers. nuthatches vireos and
Fcrcepers search busi1y in the bark OF /.
trees for insects, their larvae and eggs.
while the woodpeckers bore into dead
limbs and decayed trunks and bring
out their victims bodily. Fly catchers.
martins, swallows and night-hawka
(our "bu1l batsO belong to tho class
of birds which catch their prey on thu
wing. And many fly, moth or
weevi1 meets HIS death before their
swift flight over field and meadow.
Thus each bird plays his part in his
own way In the destruction OF the vast
4hordes OF pestilent insects. What 1.
valuable and vigilant police patrol
they form! It Is not to be denied, Of
course, that many birds have their
$mischievous traits and are oftenttmes
exceedingly troublesome. but on tho 4
whole their redeening qualities far
soutnulnber their harmful ones. and the
valuable service they render exceeds
any occasional harm they may do.
Even the hawks and owls have their
part to perform In this good work,
and. like the devil, are not nearly so
black IS they are painted. Many
HAWKS. like tho little sparrow hawks,
& owls render valuable service In the
destruction Of field mice and other
rodents. OF the fifty species of hawks
and thirty-fiyes OF owls within the
boundaries Of the United States it has
been estimated that there are not moro
than a half-dozen hawks and one owl
the great horned owl-that live eX-
clusively on other birds.
The woodpecker was esp ecially
built for the work he does. being
fitted out with precisely the equip
ment he needs in his business. The
long, strong bill is his chisel, the head,
driven by strong muscles. his ham
nler. The slim. elastic tongue is a
probe which locates and lands his
victim Tho strong, sharp claws. two;
toes before and two behind. furnish
Just the grip he needs upon the body
OF q tree, while he braces himself for
action with the stiff feathers of his
tall I am afraid the robins, cat
birds and bluebirds have given them
selves a bad name on account Of their
fondness for small fruits, but surely
we would not begFudge them dainty
1norsel occasionally as reward fo,s
4 services rendered. It is for the robin
I wish particularly to plead Just now
he is coming to our fields and pasture
lands in large numbers, seeking oc-
4 caslons to prove himself our friend
Shall we reward him with shot and
Issure death?a Or shall we allow him to-
search our fields unmolested for the
cut-wornl and the grub. which later
will prove so disastrous? The robin
|is&the greatest enemy we have the
white grub, knon as the rich worm 3
How he does 1t we do not know, but
he find s where they are and then goes
down into the earth with his bill after
them. Have you not seen him run y.
little way. then stop. raise his head
| as & listening.8 then run a little fur
Their and repeat the performance? He.
is on the trail for grub worms then,
and II you'll watch you'll presently
see him Juggling something OUT of stha
ground. How shall we protect our
birds? BY securing a comp tent State
game commission by the app ointment
Of ward ems IN each county. and by
seeing that these wardens fulfil their
duties faithfully. There 4 Isl a bill bes
fore the Legislature now providing.
for these things, also for shorter sea-
sons and the protection Of the bin
and the wood duck. The latte by the
way. is q; game bird i in dang ers Of ex-.
tinction. Virginia IS sad behind,
other States An the atrInge Of sllers
game laws. It Is to be ho ped the bill II
will pass.
Buelahvillc, Va 58ss3 Is