Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1914-02-20
the BuzzlRD MUST GO.
Modern Farming Magazine New Orleans

Not very long ago the delusion pre-
vailed among scientific people and
sanitarians that our pestiferous
housefy was a divine blessing that
helped to preserve the health of hui
mainly by removing filta frorn the
face Of the earth. They have since
learned better and now know that
because of its TRANSMISSION of disease
germs the housef1y is more deadly
TO human beings than all the vene-
nous serpents and dangerous beasts
in the world combined.
For long time the South, nu-
merous and ubiquitous turkey buz-
zard or carrion crow enjoyed COM
paratively the same undeservsd rep
utation as benign promoter and
preserver of human health and ami
NAL longevity by his praiseworthy
work of keeping the earth clean Of
carrion and other kinds of pudrity.
With this mistaken idea in view
several Of the Southern States pro-
tected the life of this foul bird by
legal statutes, the violation of which
carried fine.
But at last the hundred year-oli
delusion has vanished, scientific in
Quiry having established wisioaG
doubt that the turkey buzls.d is s.s
dangerous foe to brute creation as
the dreaded housefy is tc mankind.
AS simply a predatory birl the
ouzzard, in attendance at the birth
of young lambs and shoats, kills and
devours them as they come into the
world. But worse than that by far,
instead of being a healtbful scaven-
ger, in attending to the disposal Of
carcasses of dead wild and domestic
animals, it spreads disease. plagues
and pestilence wherever i: flies or
perches in individual enterprise ~
in those vast hocks which are tne re-
suit of generations of misguided
friendship and protection.
Destructive plaques of anthrax or
Charlton, of hog cholera, cattle fever
and other fatal animal diseases have
been spread over parishes, counties
and states by those foul birds of saw
age beak and far-soaring wings. In
some of the towns of the Gulf States
they have 80 long been tolerated by
municipal authorities and protected
by State laws as to become serious
menace to human health itself. They
perch in flOcks on the house tops,
providing horrid pollution for the
drinking water caught from the
rains. They even swarm around the
slaughter pens and the meat-mark-
cts, and no doubt have often con-
taminated food for the home.
During the past year the Missis-
sippi press has been agitating the
question of legislative banishment
of the turkey buzzard from the limits
of the State, and advocating the
passage of a law encouraging its
destruction wherever it shows its
hungry head and its blacl; wide
spreading wings. And We doubt not
that in the wisdom of its delibera-
tiOns, the Bayou State legislature
will take such action before adjourn
ment of the present session.
Other Southern States that have
not already legislated against the
buzzard should certainly fall in line
and act quickly for the benefit Of
the promising stock industry of the
South and the protection of man.
Perhaps numbers of States will find
On investigation, like Louisiana did
that locally there never was statute
protecting the buzzard. but that the
came about through
ignorance leading US to he.
lieve in past generations that the
carrion crow was worthy of protec-
ton.
Last year the Louisiana Live Stock |
Board pressed this matter
Of the buzzard's danger to live stock |
30 vigorouly and to such good pur-
pose that the State Conservation
Commission now comes out strongly !,
advising its determination. This de-
cree should be declared in every |
Southern State which the buzzard |
frequents. Believed to be blessing,
it has been found terrible curse,
and it should be removed from the
face of the earth.