The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-21

tieiH LOT tHe good of the game in
~terests of the country. The sum of
$4,000 has been appropriated as a
beginning for this new protective
work.
Canada is joining with this nation
IN the endeavor to secure protection
for migratory birds, since many of
the birds which add to the resources
of that country come to the southern
states for the winter and their slaugh
ter during ~migrations materially has
affected the Canadian bird supply. 1t
is believed that the passage of the
Mclean bill will be only the forerun-
ner of a movement to secure interna-
tional protection for all migratory
birds. Senator Root already has
brought the matter forward by his
resolution authorizing the president
Of the United states ito propose to
the governments of other North
American countries the negotiation of
a convention for the mutual protec-
ton and preservation of migratory
birds" and it is hoped that the move
ment soon will extend so as to include
both Central and South America.
America has fallen pathetically be-
hind Europe in this respect. As far
back as 1870, Europe was threatened
with the extinction of a number of
species of migratory birds SO that, in
1873, a congress of asriculturists and
foresters was called in Vienna. This
convention passed a resolution re-
questing the imperial Austrian o
eminent to secure the protection of
birds by means of treaties with other
countries of Europe. In 1875 Ger
many, Austria and Italy entered into
a joint agreement for the protection
Of birds. Since that time four orni-
biological congresses have been held
in Europe, and there is now in OK
stence an international agreement
consisting of II articles forming a
code for the protection of birds, which
has been ratified by il European
powers.
From a practical as well as an
aesthetic and humane standpoint, the
protection of birds is important for
tho benefit of the nation. Most peo-
pie have no idea of the protection
birds give to the crops of the country.
There is an annual loss of $500, 900, 900
in the United States from pestiverous
insects, and this loss has been stead
lily increasing in proportion to the de-
crease of the birds, most of which
feed upon them. The United States
biological survey has had the stom-
achs of more than $500 birds exam
ined. Thirty grasshoppers and ESQ
caterpillars were found in the stom-
ach of a cuckoo. In that of a night
hawk were found so grasshoppers
and in another more than 500 mos
q%uitoes. Seventy canker worms were
found in the crop of a cedar bird. Mr..
TreadWell of the Boston Society of
Natural History, fed a young robin 6S
angle worms in a single day and a
Canadian scientist reports a robin
which consumed 6s ecu worms in the
same period. According to careful
estimates the insect-feeding birds of
Massachusetts last year consumed
Yer 21,00O bushels of insects from
May l to Sept. 80. Yet the damage
done by insects to the crops of that
state amounted to $4,000, 900.
Thirty species of shore birds eat
noXious weeds, as we'll as insects, and
at least $50 of the insect-eating birds
OF the country have been classed as
game in both the northern and south
ern states. Even the robin is being
killed legally in seven states. In Vlr-
ginia a petition signed by 100000
children secured the protection
of the robin in that state by a special
act of the legislature passed last year.
r, r;,,~ : , ta- t1,1 IJa11hir>H has hnpn
a legal game bird also.
The friends of the birds have spared
no pains to investigate such birds as
have been charged with being enc
mics If the farmers. For years the
king bird has been considered an enc
my to the honey bee and because OF
that charge has been banished from
many communities by the persecution
Of schoolboys. An investigation OF
this charge recently has been made
by a scientist who examined the con-
tents of the stomachs or crops of no
less than 655 king birds. About one
tenth of the contents was vegetable;
fully one-half was of recognizable in
sects including grasshoppers, rose
beetles, boil weevils, potato bugs,
caterpillars and kindred other pests.
This bird shows a prediction for the
blister bug or meloidae. These in
sects contain a drug known as can
1hardine which. besides blistering hu-
man skin, produces other physiologi-
cal symptoms. The blister-bug APP
lparently does not injure the king
bird, however, for bugs were found in
NJ less than 70 of the stomachs that
were examined. Another insect noted
was the robberfly which is about
three times the size of the ordinary
honey bee. This robber attacks the
honey-laden bee, kills it and appro-
PIRATES the honey. Honey bees were
found in only % of the king birds ex-
amined and most of these We're
drones, So, instead of being an enc
my, the king bird is really the pro-
tector and friend of the honey bee,
The interest in bird protection has
increased enormously during the past
10 years and the Mclean bill is only
one of the measures by which it is
being forwarded. The number OF bird
refugees is being increased every year.