The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-14
bringing Back The Birds.
for ofFTha TimnS. T)iSpa fci,.

Editor OF The mes-Dispatch.
Sir,-The wise and patriotic citizen
the Importance OF birds. and lie pro-
tests against their destruction, because
he sees that for the future welfare
OF the nation we must have conserva.-.
Iof wastefulness and commercial!sm
which is sacrincing for gain mans
heritage In nature
II is very important that the city.
as we'll as country should be giving
thought to protect and build up the
depleted ranks or our winged army.
who are lighting the insect foes. max
Ing agriculture and forestry possible
and life itself endurable. Without
birds in a short span Of years TINS
globe would be uninhabitable. so the
scientists tell us. Their destruction
is almost Invariably followed by an
Immediate increase OF Injurious insects.
In the West. when owls and hawks are
killed out, crops fall because OF Held
mice.
no birds here to protect. only the Eng
fish sparrow. and though he has some
attractive qualities. he Is a public
nuisance. and his use is yet 70 be
proven. As n matter OF TACT there
ing at your doors. and when we de-
stroy their enemy. the English spar
I row, our trees Will be filled with our
Cld-time fcathered friends.
There has never yet been suggested
or carried out by man an entirely sat
tisfactory plan for the determination
icf the English sparrow. though he has
had bad name for ycers and goes on
multiplying. But nature is beginning
still. quiet, mysterious warfare
against this blatant chatterer In our
vines. and there are many ways to as
sist her. Hawks are often seen soar.
| ing over the city. and taking a birds
| eye view OF the food condition.
! hawk came down on buoy little flock
| of sparrows in the busiest part OF
Grace street and carried one away IN
his claws. If. on somesafternoon about
dusk, one watch the tops OF The. Oldest
trees. as you stroll, one VIII gee flitttnE
around large bird, or sitting h ,ii;,l
1 en- q branch. against the sky. one VIII
/ see a puffy ball of feathers. about the
1 size OF pigeon. He turns his head.
lifts his ears. precns his feathers. and
4 is not disturbed by automobile or pass
ling trolley At least this IS the way a
4 screecl own behaved ut First and
Franklin Streets week ago. he IS
4 our smallest owl, and as he nests IN
/ March. he has now on his hands
hearty family of SIX or seven ciamor-
Inc problem With the owl, too, SO he
i comes 70 the city to find here an I'M
i touched supply and no demand. me
/ English spnrrow Is genius at max
ling close shayes. taking chances with
i the dangers OF the street, such as
h horses feet. wheels and rubber tires,
but being city bred for generations. he
knows not the ways of the wild, nor
/ how 10 escape the talons Of bird
of prey.
4 The coming Of owls to the city Is
4 natures attempt to balance up matters
/ with the English sparrow, and II may
i be the solution Of the problem. They
should be encouraged and domesti-
i Gated. Ii possible. Hawks are readily
tanned. and why not put into up TO- da ie
/ fashionable use the Quaint old custom
OF falconry?
With the passing OF the English
4 sparrow. there will be return OF the
native birds to the streets and parks.
4 air." with our lack Of shrubs. ever
i greens and thickets, but some OF the
I birds that love the tree-tops and
i dwellings are already with US. This
! lis hopeful sign. Cardinals were seen
in the magnolias last winter. wren
sings through the year in a yard near
4 the Jefferson Hotel, and nearby one
4 summer, an oriole is said to have
4 reared family In swinging cra ti
In a tree-top. In a week or two me &,
i warblers may be heard in the streets.
A often at night can be heard the
Il skilldee singing a glad song as ne
4 leaves the city behind him..
The wrens are fully es sa.a rs t IN
4 town. Last year the boys sa :. OF /, q y e ,
4 nesting boxes. which they presented to
i the Audubon Society, and they were
Il placed In yards, and several were &C,
a cupied by wrens The boys wanted
to have them In the parks and 5Watc !.
]. results, but 1t was found that this
i could only be done with the consen mt
/; !of the authorities. and as this meant
81 delay, and the wrens were impatien
i, to Ibe6 settled. II was given U p. &c s
,g.rbird can build in the Capitol. squar,e
rthe legislature, and pr r, bly, W ',o.li e
have to submit his plans to commit
!. tee from the Senate.
. IN Central Park, New York. there re
a great many birds and one observer
y on the Boston Common recognized
! the North have, already suffer red S, Sc
Il from insect pests that they are study
q ing how to attract birds, and ssettinG
II aside wood lands as reserves Tor nest
. - Our E II ollywood. s with Its great
.EEnatural beauty, Its ivy- covered oaks
Its honeysuckle tangles and evergree zen
! |lhedges, Its mistletoe. holly and IVY
M berries, is a haven for tn o blrdS, esPc'
! cially the varieties ina taswlnter nete
) The running streams ought TO be et
las they are. because they are pic
4 turesouc, and the birds swarm to then
Z to drink land battle, is3 s. Is
i When statue was erected to Eau
Kruger, in South Africa. his widoW re
y |Euuested that sink be left In thu
!. crown OF his hat that the little birds
s OF tho air mi ght come to drink,
Why not have. instead OF SO much
cold marble. memorials that sustain ne
Y lbenefitBlife? Why not plant more tree
a and shrubs and flowers In our GENE
I teries: When over our graves the bird
Using triumphal songs and 5buttertlle
q , and bees hover among tho 8loWers,# tn
4 treslrrection seems moro 9 real, an,
s,5death, after all not 50 sad and hope
llless, ss5b s5E5 * ifss iiIS i35.
i, q IN q morning through Hollywood a
8 Ithis season you can hear the notes o
S and see moe ktngbirds, robins, purpl
a grackle,S bluebirds s., Carol ina Wrens, tire
Q sparroWs, S ong IS parrows, White-throat
!. ed sparroWs. flick ers,s gold finch
hairy iwoodp ckers, III ced 2
9 birds, chicl<ad ees, tufted titmlce, king
y lets, purple tinchesgan doves "a grea
y many more Will s be there soon. n
q robins breast is a deeper crimson nov
Z Z the sparrows and gold tinches /, y,
!. I singing In concert, the cardlna
!. .5|whistles Q q yet with his mate an,