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


and Mammals.
X rtsher-Repr from Yearbook Of
JOY n r. 3 Department Of Agricultural
49, class the predaceous animals have Q
-, important function to perform in
- economy OF nature. Before man in
.'.,.rsd with the intricate relations OF
"a creatures and disturbed the balance
feature. the carnivorous animals served
.smirably to prevent undue increase OF
~ bordes that fed on heritage, seeds,
,-n;t and other vegetable life. So per-
,.c,,v was the balance regulated that q
..mporary increase or decrease in one
s,rsetion was followed sooner or later by
corresponding change in another.
Rut. valuable ~ many predaceoas
,,,mals are in aiding to maintain the
,.lsucs OF nature, man looks askance at
.vs,c mammal or bird that molcsts his
rcutry or the game Of the state, and
rithout regard to consequences sets out to
kill everything that resembles the
r.,tioular offender. He declines to give q
more pittance in return for value received,
the humble and faithful workers that
have helped to save his harvest or
orchard.
Most fiesh-eating animals change their
ordinary diet only under pressure Of
hunger. In the main they prey upon
.ome abundant species which, wheE
available, furnishes almost their entire
subsistence. For example, II meadow mice
were always present. the red-tsiled hawk
would rarely couch other food. 1t is
when normal food Is scarce that predatory
bird and mammals are from necessity
forced to take what they can find and
thus become trespassers. II is true that
there are prevented individuals among
animals. just as there are Objectionable
characters among men, and these by their
overt acts tend to discrcdit their class as a
whole. Yet the man-cating tiger and
the pouitry-eatiug skunk, weasel, and
hawk are rare, though their deeds have
been heralded far and wide and their
names have become notorious.
In many cases it might be safe to
say in almost ali depredations by
normally useful species are the work OF
exceptional individuals which for some
reason depart from the habits OF their
kind. Thus among the beneficial hawks
and owls 1t has been found that the
transgressors usually are immature birds,
which, IT Is fair to assume, lack skill and
experiences in hunting their normal prey
and consequently are forced to feed upon
anything that offers.
A given species in certain locality
and under what may be termed normal
conditions OF food supply, may be . most
valuable factor in controlling . pest,
while in another part OF its range 1t may
be undesirable on account OF its inroads
on poultry or stock. The great horned
owl and coyote are examples In point
In rshbit-infested regions and in vine
yards, orchards, meadows or gardens over
run BY field mice. they are among the
best friends OF man; bat in thickly settled
resiohs comparatively free rom rabbits
:. ~
- f ~'o 49, wy
"a - - L. - i
- - ss.',o.s "nsis 'neep 'a''inS Is
$500 l,,
uaua,.s .ne
$50 ~ s,'s ~ n@Ns
sas,a sna ., 80 ' ~. ,n.,ua.s ~sly,
$3.50 '".' '"ei "A'ui.i
,hsm.a,,.A1 ~ 80 49, - .ne '.Ain " oou'sa'
al. Ts~ ',.. ~ 80 '.soreu '"uis.u
.,''s s p.'.s uo"u .ne ',ck
- 49, ."' .uA' ae-
80 - ipp'.1 fa.ii' Is leA'is oeneh'-
,hs a~ap psss upo" 'uoasn ~
49, 80, 80 y. '"e ina'sioaai' since oy
-. ~ sne ~esN anu unn'' more
,hs - sens s'oeN 70 secured ana
..-...'' % ou'DAs VI oisesse ma
is',ensu'
,.,.. =, ~ os W uenne 'he economic
~, :" p'euaeeous amin AIS, were IL
o,,,;,,...' le YIN pieA.'ons resulting rom
a., n'en introduces problems
,,.,as .ss Anse. 'ne STATUS Oh AMI
THE HOUSE CAT.