The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1917-01-04
Bird, That Deseryk Protection;
They DesHSy Weeds and Insects

= =,
We do not wish to create the i'm
preston of being an extremist on the |
question of bird protection, but as
the interest in this subject just now is
very much alive, we have decided to
do all we can to aid in a clearer un-
derstanding of the value to the farm
er of the birds on his place.
Interest heretofore has centered In
the bob-white, or partridge, because
of his threatened determination, but
this bird is not the only valuable ally
to the farmer in his fight against in
sects and weeds.
We are this week quoting from
Farmers Bulletin No. 755, on the sub
iect of Common Birds of the South
:eastern United States in relation to
Agriculture" issued by the Agr'cul-
ture Department, of the United
States.
Next week we expect to begin the
publication of pictures of these birds
with descriptive matter, telling OF
their habits and what they eat.
1t will be learned that some OF the
most useful birds are not game olrds
and should be rigidly protected by the
law and then given every possible en-
enlargement Ly the farmer and the
faffSf's boy. Many of them have
been driven off by the English spar
row and can be induced to return
only when this noisy M uisance has
been gotten rid of.
It is our opinion that the bob-white
should be afforded better protection
at once. The meadow lark, robin,
swallows, bull-bats (night-hawks) and
certain others should be rigidly pro-
tected for all time.
In the Southeastern States, as re-
stricted for the purposes of this bull
letin, there occur at some season OF
the year more than AGO species of
birds. Of these, about 280 are COM
mon, and the number includes some
~the handsomest birds of the Uni
ted States, as the scissor-tailed fly
catcher, the painted bunting, and the
cardinal; besides the mockingbird, the
brown thrasher, and the Carolina
wren. The general habits, and par
ticularly the economic value, of many
of the best-known species will be
treated later.
The food habits of southeastern
-'i--'- ore of particular interest on ac-
count OF the preVai..-- in this section
of the country of a number or -.
worst insect enimies of agriculture
many of which are eagerly sought by
birds. One need only recall such
Peuee~>~ the cotton boil weevil, the
bollworm, and Ili~ ol,inoh bug to real.
ize with what serious foes the farme,
of the Southeastern States has to con.
tend. 1t is hoped that knowledge OF
the part birds play in combating his
enemies will lead the southern farre1
to take an active interest in securing
full protection for these, his feather.
ed allies.
Cotton being the leading crop in
the Southeast, the bird enemies of
cotton insect pests naturally deserve
first consideration. Few in all this
bload land are ignorant of the tre-
mendous damage done by the cotton
boil weevil. For some years it has
easily ranked as the most destructive
pest in the United States. Special
study of it's bird enemies has been
made, and the result is that &c species
are now known which, to greater or
less extent, prey upon the boil weevil
The most active Of these enemies
OF the boil weevil are the orioles,
which actually take the insects from
the squares of the cotton plant, and
the swallows, which feed upon the
,.Eeevils when they are in flight and
seeking to extend their range. No
fewer than al boil weevils have been
found in single stomach of the
Bullock oriole, and large numbers of
the weevils are habitually taken by all
species of swallows. Every one of a
series of 35 cave swallows had eaten
boil weevils, the largest number in
any stomach being AZ, and the aver
age 10. In winter the most important
destroyers of these insects are black
birds, meadowlarks, titlarks and Caro-
lima wrens.
f Forty-one species of birds feed up
son the cotton worm Of these bird
enemies, cuckoos are most effective,
since they frequently consume from
100 to $50 cotton worms at a meal.
The orioles again deserve especial
mention, as do also the crow, the
curve-bill thrasher, mockingbird, car
dinal, and gray grosbeak. The boil
worm, or corn-ear worm, is attacked
by IL southeastern birds, of which. the
boat-tailed grackle, or jackdaw, has
NATURE TELLS YOU