The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1910-11-02
t7-YEAR LOCUSTS COMING
THE RESURRECTION WILL OC.
COUR IN CERTAIN SECTIONS.
A Call for Preservation of Birds
That Destroy Them Issued by
National Audubon Society.

National Audubon Society.
To warn the farmers and orchad-
lists againt the resurrection of the
seventeen-year locust, or periodical
cicada, that will occur in certain
areas of this country next spring,
call for preserving the wild birds
that destroy this pest is today being
issued from the headquarters of the
National Association or audubon
SOCIETIES in this city.
Two giant broods of these remark
able insects, that come to ravage or
chard vegetation only after incuba-
ton intervals of thirteen and seven
teen years, are scheduled by scien-
lists as due to descend upon this
continent within the next six
months. Only the birds that can be
counted upon to eat up by thousands
the units in this swarming locust
plague will avail to avert serious
losses in the coming season, it is
declared.
English sparrows, robins, wood
peckers, orioles, scarlet tanagers,
have rendered the greatest service
in devouring these periodical cica-
dae on their previous raids of the
country, according to the records
of the government biological survey,
that have been searched by the Au-
dubon workers.
Eating the soft bodies of the To-
Gust pests or their wings and heads
as we'll, catbirds, fiickers, towhees,
gnatcatchers, martins, peewees,
thrushes, virs, hickadees and fly
catchers are among their other de-
stroyers. Only two species of all
birds examined at Washington have
been found not to feed upon these
destructive insects.
To protect these birds and all
other insect eaters through the
coming months is declared to be an
emergency measure that must be
seized upon by the farmers.
Shielded in tiny shells, the peri
odical cicadae are today preparing to
burst forth N countless multitudes
over the fields of both north and
south, the chronological experts de-
clare. Unnumbered hosts of these
weird insects will next summer slit
young trees and deposit within their
tender sprouts the eggs that will
bring forth the species seventeen
years hence. Apple, peach and pear
orchards and vineyards will feel
their destructive power. the govern
ment authorities admit, unless an
abundant force of the wild birds is
preserved TO lead tho fight
Comprehensive state laws for the
protection of the insect-eating birds
and widespread efforts to shelter and
feed them through the storms of
next winter are advocated in this
emergency by the National Associa-
ton of Audubon Societies, which has
for years urged the people of
America to consider such problems
from the economic standpoint.
THE fear of the locust plague
that is now spreading over the agri-
cultural sections only points the
moral of our general campaign, -
said William butcher, president of
the association, at it's headquarters,
141 Broadway, today. For years
we have been working to arouse the
country to the danger of the de-
struction of the insect-eating birds,
that will be invaluable in this partic-
ular case, as they are in every case
of insect pests. Since 1884, when
these so-called seventeen-year To-
Gusts descended upon the Pilgrim
Fathers at Plymouth, the agricultu-
raj prosperity of this country has
been constantly menaced by insect
encroachments that can be met only
by the birds that nature has pro-
vided as checks, not as targets for
pet hunters. New York Evening
Post.