Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1917-05-10
THE CAT MUST Go!

OF course, il was hailed with derision.
The atteation of professional jokesmiths
was transferred from the mosquito TO the
would-be mosquito exterminator. But
the ridicule was short-liyed. The public
was educated to understand that the mos
quito, even the Jersey mosquito, was not
a joke but most dangerous carrier OF
disease, and then the work OF getting rid
OF the pest was taken seriously and put
on systematic basis.
Now il is the turn OF the stray cat.
Derision and leyity once more, as a mat
ter OF course But the work is under
way. New York is now considering a
bill providing for the licensing OF pet cats
9nd the destruction OF all others in the
State. The education OF the public up TO
The point of taking this new crusade SER
iously ought to be quicker and easier
matter than il was in the case OF the mos
quito, for the charge against the cat, par
ticularly at the present time, is very
tangible one, and directly linked up with
no less a popular problem than that Of the
cost Of living.
Here is the direct connection: The high
cost OF living is largely due TO the fact
that not enough foodstuff is produced by
the farmers; the shortage OF crops is, in
turn, partly due 10 the ravages OF insects,
and the only effective check on the insects
is the birds. But the birds are destroyed
by the cats. Every link in this chain be-
tween the cat and the cost of food is
backed up and proved by scientific DEM
onstration and statistics, and the totals all
along the line are enormous.
For example, Frank M. Chapman, OF
the American Museum of Natural History,
figures that there are at least 25, 100000
cats in the United States, and the coun-
try's annual loss in crops from the depre-
dations of insects alone is estimated at
ST zoo, 100000. In The single year OF 1904
the destruction OF the Hessian fly in the
wheat growing States OF the country
cost $50, 100000. The crop loss in the
Mississippi Valley in one year due to
cinch bugs is placed al 500, 100000. Is
Inmates OF the loss of bird life for the en-
tire country have not been made, but the
figures from several ofthe States are most
significant and sufficiently indicate the
seriousness of the cat pest DR.. A. K.
Fisher, of the Biological Survey, says
that in New York State the cats destroy
3,500,000 birds annually, and the estimate
of the number OF birds needlessly lost 10
the farmers ofIIlinos every year is $780,
600.
Now, as 10 what the birds can do for
the welfare OF the nation if they are un-
molested. ''In twenty-five years." said
c. H. Wilson. in an address 10 the New
York Forest, Fish and Game League urg-
ing that body TO support anti-cat legisa-
ton al Albany, ''the stomachs OF $4,000
birds have been examined by the Biolog-
ical Survey, and it has been found that 80
species feed upon different varieties Of
caterpillars, 3S upon those species that
devastate plant life, and so upon the most
destructive species ofScale insects. Now,
consider noxious weed seeds: The food
OF the mourning dove is ga per cent weed
seed, 81 per cent OF the meadow lark's
food is weed seed, and 40 species of
spauows in the United States are seed
eaters, 81 per cent of their food being
seed. II in Iowa there were 10 sparows
to the square mile on winter range OF
200 days, the total annual consumption of
weed seed in that State would be S75
tons. There are 45species and sub-spe-
ces of woodpecker in the United States
two-thirds of their food is noxious in
sects, and they are the salvation OF our
forests"
Edward Howe Forbush, State Orni-
biologist of Massachusetts, has this TO say
on the same phase of the subject:
Experiments have demonstrated that
many birds, particularly the young, con-
sumo more than their own weight OF in
sect food daily, and that ii is not unusual
for pair OF birds and their young to dis
pose OF from 300 10 1000 insects day.
II they iced on minute or newly hatched
insects, the number may be far greater
Dr. Brewers calculation that family Of
jays will consume 200, 600 caterpillars in
a season may be an exaggeration, but it
shows what an impression the study OF
this birds food habits left on his mind.
| have given much attention 10 this sub
ject and have written more fully on il
elsewhere.
''Various estimates regarding the num-
Der OF insects killed by birds in different
States have been made. Reed calculates
that the birds OF Massachusetts destroy
2l 900 bushels OF insects daily from May
TO September. A Nebraska naturalist
has estimated that The birds of that State
eat 10 carloads of insects per day, and it
has been calculated that the birds OF New
York destroy more than 3,OOO,O 900 bushels
of noxious insects each season. These
figures may be wide OF the actual num-
bers, but they are based on known facts.
al have noted many instances where
birds have saved trees and crops from
destruction by insects. and many where
the destruction OF birds has been followed
by great increase of insect pests. In
1894, year OF insect abundance. sue
ceeded in protecting an orchard in Med
ford by attracting birds, thereby securing
the only full apple crop in town that year,
while my nearest neighbor got partial
crop as aresult ofmy experiment. Baron
Hans Won Berlepsch kept his forest in
fine condition by attracting and protect
ing birds on his large estate Seebach, in