Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-06-29

than one or two young. It 10 not surpris-
ing that this great aggregation OF turtles,
containing the essential Of delicious soup,
should have attracted the attention Of the
agents Of the market men and restaurant
keepers. The final chapter, the readjust-
mcnt OF conditions, may be briefly told:
The marsh became q scene OF great activ-
ity, where men and boys caught the vo-
rscious chelonians, and bags, boxes and
barrels OF them were shipped away.
There was also depreciation in the value
OF skunk skins, with q corresponding loss
Of interest on the part OF the trapper, SO
the progeny of the surviving sknnks con-
gregated at the old beach and devoured
the eggs Of the turtles that had enjoyed q
brief period Of prosperity. The broods OF
ducks now remained unmolested, and at
tracted other breeding birds, with the re-
suit that the old marsh reverted to its
original populous condition.
HAWKS AND OWLS.
| The sooner farmers, ranchmen. horticul-
turists and nurserymen learn that the
great majority of birds OF prey are their
friends and deserve protection, and that
four or five species only are injurious, the
sooner will depredations by noxious ro-
dents and insects diminish. In the more
thickly settled sections OF the country, ex-
cept at rare intervals, the goshawk, duck
hawk, and great horned owl are 30 infre-
quent that years may pass without an in
dividual being seen. Two species that
need to be kept in check are the sharp
Skinned and Cooper haw ks small and
medium sized species which feed almost
entirely on wild birds and poultry.
| The important fact to bear in mind is
that all hawks and owls feed largely on
noxious rodents and the larger insects,
such as grasshoppers, crickets, and May
beetles, and, from their size and voracious
sppetites, are important factors in reduc-
ing the numbers OF such pests and keep
ing them under control.
| There Is number OF species Of birds
and mammals which, although they do
not strictly belong to predaceous groups,
are nevertheless at times extensively
predatory in habits. Among the better
known OF these may be mentioned rats,
squirrels, chipmunks, ravens, crows, jays,
herons and gulls.
| THE RAT.
| With the exception OF the house cat,
the rat probably kills more young chick
ems than any other animal. In some places
where this rodent has become well en-
trenched, owners have found it next to
impossible to profitably raise chickens.
The marauders often become SO bold that
they catch passing chickens in broad day.
light. Rats have been known to kill
newly born lambs and pigs, and they fire.
quently destroy the young and eggs of
wild birds. This is especially true in sub
urban districts and on islands along our
coast.
RED SQUIRRELS AND CHIPMUNKs.
During spring and early summer, when
nuts and seeds are scarce, red squirrels
and chipmunks are kept busy searching
for food. This is the height OF the breed
ing season Of birds, and where the red
squirrel is abundant it destroys great
numbers Of eggs and nestlings. This
often happens where hawks, owls, weasels
and other enemies Of the squirrels have
been systematically prosecuted, and as a
consequence squirrels have unduly in
creased.
HERON.
| 1t is well known that members of the
heron family feed to great extent on fish
and other forms of aquatic life, and con-
sequentiy do not live far from the water.
Two species, however, the great blue
heron and the bittern, at times depart
from the family traits and visiting hill
sides, cultivated fields and drier meadows
in search OF pocket gophers, ground
squirrels and field mice, which they greed
! lily devour. Pellets collected in one of the
more inland nesting colonies Of the great
blue heron indicate that very large pro-
portion OF the food of the young is made
up of these injurious rodents. The re-
mains OF three pocket gophers have been
found in one pellet, and captured young
bird regurgitsted like number.
The herons, like other fiesh-eating birds,
digest their food rapidly and are disposed
to gorge themselves when opportunity
| offers. 1t is fair to assume as low average
that pair OF herons with four or five
young will consume dozen or fifteen
gophers daily. We should not begrudge
them the fish they eat when we remember
that a gopher is capable OF destroying
trees large enough to produce marketable
fruit.
GULIs AND TERMS.
The gulls and terms that live inland do
effective service in checking the inroads Of
injurious insects and mammals. In spring,
fiocks OF Franklin gulls fearlessly follow
the pillow and CLEAN from the upturned
soil many an insect that later would have
attacked the growing crop. During the
summer, and up to the time of their
southern migration, the same iocks gorge
on grasshoppers and crickets. The larger
gulls, like the ring billed and California
gulls, feed on field mice and other small
rodents, and in times Of ''mouse plaques"
do effective work. Terms feed on grass