Middletown transcript., 1915-03-06
VALUE OF BIRDS

WASHINGTON, Feb. 28. Among the
geological articles in the Smithsonian
lnstitution's annual report is one on the
value Of birds to man, in which the
author, James auckland, of London,
makes the astounding statement that
although man irhagines himself the
dominant power of the earth, he is
nothing of the sort, the true lords of
the universe being the insects.
Although man has attained predomi-
nance over the most fierce and powerful
animals and most deadly reptiles, he
and his works, contends Mr.. Buckland,
would be of little avail before an attack
of insects, which include a greater
number of species than all other living
creatures combined. 300, 200 species
have been described, while possibly
twice that numer still remain unknown.
The author says these incompatible
hordes feed on nearly all living animals
and practically all plants, and multiply
into prodigious numbers in an incredibly
short time. Computations show that
one species developing 13 generations a
year would, if unchecked to the twelfth
generation, multiply to ten sextillions of
individuals, while single pair Of the
well known gipsy moths, if unchecked,
would produce in eight years enough
progeny to destroy all the foliage of
the United States. One pair of potato
bugs, he asserts, would develop, if un-
checked, go, 900, 900 in a single season,
at which rate of multiplication the
potato plant would not survive long.
According to Mr.. Buckland, insects
are quite as astounding IN their consum-
ing qualities as in their rate of inc1 ease.
A caterpillar eats twice it's weight in
leaves day, and in proportion horse
would consume ton of hay in "a hours.
Certain fiesh-eating larvae consume 200
tunes their original weight in "a hours.
In this manner an infant would devour
|, 800 pounds of meat during the first
lay of his life.
1t is reported by specialist that the
food taken by silkworm in Sc days
equals 5000 times its original weight.
All of these facts show what tremeAd-
GUS destruction insects may cause.
Through Its predominating insect diet
and on account of its exceedingly rapid
digestion the bird becomes the most in
dispensable balancing force of nature.
Without its assistance, man with his
poisons, the weather and animals, as
well as the parasitic predanious insects,
would be helpless. The author tells
how the bird is a benefit to man in
checking insect invasions, in preserving
forests and orchards; points out their
service in the meadows and gardens;
their value in protecting live stock and
their usefulness in the preservation of
health and elimination of disease.
Remarkable instances of the birds
services to man include the Introduction
of the English sparrow into New Zea-
land, with the resulting elimination of
the thistle and the caterpillar, which
were running the land and crops and the
saving Australian agriculture from the
grasshoppers by the straw-necked ibis,
in individual craws of which an average
of 2400 grasshoppers were found.
The story of Frederick the Great,
wherein he is alleged to have ordered
all small birds killed because the spar
rows had pecked at some of his cherries
and the resulting lack of fruit but fine
crop of caterpillars two years later,
proves a graphic lesson. The "scalp
act" of Pennsylvania, which paid in
bounties $4,000 for the determination
of hawks and owls, lost for the state
So, $50, 900 in damage, due to the increase
of small rodents which resulted.
When Montana was free from hawks
and owls it became so overrun with
destructive rodents that the legislature
offered rewards for them-a task which
the banished hawks and owls had per-
formed free of charge. But during
the first six months such large sums of
money were paid out that a special
session of the legislature was called to
repeal the act before the state went
| bankrupt.
In 1912 Lord Kitchener pointed out
the necessity of prohibiting the de-
struction of certain Egyptian birds
which prevented insect pests.