Omaha daily bee., 1915-02-14
INSECTS MANS GREAT ENEMY
James auckland Describes Their
Ravages and Makes Plea for
Preservation Of Bird Life.
BIRD IS ERRArUM OF INSECT


WASHINGTON. Feb. 1s-Among the
Sociological articles In the Smithsonian
Annual Report Is one on the value OF
birds to man. in which the author,
James Buekland Of London. makes the
astounding statement that although man
imaEines himself the dominant power Of
The earth he IL nothing of the sort, the
true lords Of the universe being the in
sects For, although man has attained
predominance over the most fierce and
powerful animals and most deadly rep
tiles. he and his works would be OF little
ayail before an attack Of insects. which
Include a greater number OF species than
ali other living creatures combined. Some
se.ooo species have been described, while
possibly twice that number stu remain
unknown.
The author says that these ineomputa-
bic hordes feed on nearly all living ami
mails and practically all plants. and mui-
tiply into prodigious numbers In an in
credibly short time. Computations show
that one species developing thirteen gon-
erations a year would, II unchecked 70
the twelfth generation. multiply to ten
sextillIons Of individuals, while n single
pair OF the well known gypsy moths. II
uncnecked. would produce in eight years
enough progeny 20 destroy all the foliage
OF the United States. One pair Of potato
bugs. he states. would develop un-
checked 100000 in a single season. at
which rate Of multiplication the potato
plant would not long survive.
Insects Great Feeders.
According 10 Mr.. Buckland's article. in
sects are quite as astounding in their
consuming qualities as In their rate OF
increase: q caterpillar eats twice its
weight in leaves a day, and, in propor-
tIon. a horse would consume a ton Of
hay IN twenty-four hours. Certain flesh
eating larvae consume 800 times their or
iginal weight In twenty-four hours; in
this manner an infant would devour i,bo0
pounds OF meat during the first day OF
Ste life. II is reported by a specialist
that the food taken by a siikworm in
fifty-slx days equals 5000 times It's or
iglnal weight. All OF which facts show
what tremendous destruction insects may
cause.
Through its predominating insect diet
and on account OF it's exceedingly rapid
digestion. the bird becomes the most in
dispensabe balancing force OF nature
without It's assistance, man. with his
poisons. the weather and animals. a.
we'll az the parasitic predaceous insects,
would be helpless. The author then
states how the bird IL a benefit 20 man
in a great number OF ways. in checking
insect invasions, in preserving forests
and orchards; their service in the mead
ows and gardens; their value IN protesting
live stock. and their usefulness in the
preservation Of health and elimination OF
disease.
Good work Done By BardA
Remarkable instances OF the birds
service 20 man include the introduction
OF the English sparrow into New Zealand
with the resulting elimination Of the this
tie and the caterpillar, which were ruin
Ing the land and crops. and the saving
of Australian agriculture from The grass-
hoppens by the straw-nscied his, IN IN
dividuai craws Of which an average OF
teoe Efasshoppers was found. The STORY
Of Frederick the Great, wherein he u
alleged 10 have ordered all small birds
killed. because the sparrows had peoked
~ some OF his cherrios. ana the resulting
isek of fruit but fine crop Of eaterpniars
two yeau Later proves . greDhio lesson.
The scalp act Of Pennsylvania, whseh
paid in bounties $4,000 for the szternninA-
tlon OF hawks and owls. lost for the state
$4,000 in damage 70 Agriculture, due
20 the increase OF small rodents which
resulted. When Montana was free from
hawks and owls Il became 20 overFun
with destructive rodents that the ls9isla.
sure offered rewards for thsm-a task
which the banished hawks and owls had
performed free OF charge. But during the
first six months such large sums OF
money were paid out that q special SEES
sion Of the Legislature was called 70 re-
peal the act before the state went bank
rupt In 1912 Lord Kitchener pointed out
the necessity OF prohibiting the destruo-
uon OF certain Egyptian birds which pre-
vented insect pests.
Plea for Preservation OF Baras.
In closing, Mr.. auckland makes q plea
for the preservation OF all birds as 4
valuable natural resource. stating that Il
their destruction u not checked there will
be wrought a mischief, a universal dis
aster. greater than words can express.
Another article on birds. contributed b,
Howard II. cleaves. reviews tho work Of
the American Bird Banding association
DR. Ales Hrdlicka OF the National snu,
scum writes on the most ancient skeleta
remains OF man. ana DR.. M. Hoernei
presents an interesting discussion con
cernlng the earliest forms OF human habi
tation and their relation to the genera
development OF civilization. The feuda
system In Persia is described by Jacques
de Morgan OF Paris. while another paper
by X. KanoSogi OF Toxic. discusses tn
significance OF shintoism. Papers on en-
cheering subjects include problems Il
smoke. fume and dust abatement, by y
@. cottrell; progress in marine eontrue
ton. By Alexander Oracle. and ths con
stfuetlon Of the great aqueduct from IN
catskill mountains into New York City
BY J. Bernard Walker and A. Russo
Rond-