The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-03-12
BIRD PROTECTION
Paper Read BY Mrs. c. L. eittinser
at the Arbor Day Exercises of
the Primary School,
Ocata, Florida


The following article published in |
the Star few days ago had so many
mistakes in it that in justice TO the
author We publish it again:
With the exception perhaps of For
estry, one of our great national con-
serves. there is hardly a more impor
tant question among the thoughtful
than the great subject Of bird protec-
ton. Aside from the sentimentalist
or bird lover, the economic question Of
bird life and protection has, until re-
cent years, been a mooted question.
This important step, which il is hoped
will be taken as a precedent by other
governing bodies. was prompted BY
the international association of women
for the protection Of birds. The Ger
man branch, which has nearly doubled
its membership within a year, has just
issued its Jurlbach, "A volume of 120
pages containing some startling fig
ures as to the wholesale slaughter OF
birds. Italy. Belgium. United States,
Egypt, lead in this war of extermina-
ton. In Italy alone. perhaps some
200, 000, 900 useful or ornamental birds
are killed annually. The number Of
nests destroyed exceeds 100000.
means the loss Of another 80. 900. 900.
In Madrid alone il is estimated some
300 900 larks native fnches and other
birds are served daily as food In
four-fi fths Of the area Of the United
States, birds with beautiful feathers
have been nearly exterminated. Tho
our country figures in the list one
OF the chief culprits, there is reason
to believe that the tide has changed
and that the birds have a chance once
more TO live and multiply. While
there are no exact statistics, observers
have noted that during the past four
or five years that there are more song
sters in our meadows and trees than
few years ago. Due largely to the
work Of the Audubon Society. there
are six reservations where birds are
guarded during the breeding season.
The Louisiana branch has taken a
lease of Twenty-Five islands each of
which is the breeding place Of large
colonies of birds. such as Royal and
Babals terms and black swimmers.
The number of wardens have been
constantly increased Clubs are being
formed in schools awakening interest
among the children. for among them
lies the greatest hope of the perma =
nency of the movement. for sad to
relate. the young boy with his gun
seems to be the enemy of birds.
Speaking Of enemies. the worst enemy
apart from man is the domestic cat
One at low estimate, will devOur
fifty birds during the nesting sea
son on single farm. A cat tax
would do mucn 10 help the null
tiplication Of birds. WOOdchucks
and the willy crows destroy eggs Of
birds much oftener than is known
.Il1 ~
become too numerous They eat eggs
and young birds that have escaped
the early cold storms of the summer
"That may all be true" I hear some
one say. For as much as | love birds
their beautiful plumage, their lovely
songs, but all living things here are
their enemies and how can we protect
them from everything? That again
is true but let us take up the eco
non1ic value of birds, and ! think il
carefully considered, not only our
sympathy would be enlisted, but yea
and Zest that is too often given tC
things Of lesser value. Quoting from
VIM. butcher, according to the census
of 1900. there are 6.139.6oI farms,
with a total acreage S41201.546. The
valuation Of these farms are placed a
the sum Of s20,514 .OOl,s3S. 1t is sale
ucts annually TO the astonishing mon
ey value of $20O. 00O. 900. even with ths
birds as protectors. Try to imagine
what the additional loss would be
were all the birds destroyed. The
crop Of one dove recently killed IL
Tennessee contained over 1000 Weet
seeds, and when it is understood tina
healthy dove will destroy at eacl
feeding at least 1000 prospective
weeds, more than two negroes. work
ing at $3.50 day. could uproot il
double the time, it is so easy to SCI
that tons upon tons of weed see'
(besides insects) would be destroyed
each year by these birds. and that tn
cheapest live hands in the end woul'
be the dove. AS an insect destroyer
the bull-bat, or night hawk. is equall
serviceable. It's stomach is elasti
and will hold more than pigeons
and right here ia where the bull-bat'
usefulness appears. This enormous
stomach must be kept filled to suppl
motive power for the long wing
which are kept in motion for so man
hours. and to facilitate this work, ma
ture has given this bird an immens
mouth. which is really more like tn
mouth of a turtle or a frog than
bird. The food consists of insect
taken on the wing. and so greedy
the bird that it fills it's stomach al
most to bursting. To ascertain tn
character of the food taken. SO stOm
achs were examined. In "a. 200 I
1900 insects were found. The part born
by this bull-bat or night hawk in mos
quito destruction. especially in ano
pheles or malaria spreading specie
transcends the combined work of
case of quinine and a tank OF keroSen
oil As a fever abater in malarif
district 4 flock of buil-bats would b
worth Il grove of quinine tree
Speaking Of the robin. which is TO
common bird to need an introduC
ton. We again quote VIM. Dutche
chairman of protective committe
American Ornithologists on both {
the destructive and economic value
the robin He says in central Ter
essee there are large tracts of cedar
which seem TO attract myriads of rob
ms in the winter. one small hamlet
this district sends enough robins ar
nual,y TO return $500. at five cents
dozen. equal TO 10000 birds. M
informant" he adds. says they al
caught at night in the roosts anon
the cedars We go TO the rOostS
night with stick and kill then
others climb the trees and catch thel
as they fly in. One of the officers
the Louis lana Audubon Society. fun
nishes the following informa tion:
: conservative estimate OF number
killed Annually heinr from a qua rte