Evening star., 1917-03-04

boys went into the swamp and trapped
the animals by wholesale.
Whereas 8 per cent of the eggs of
swapping turtles formerly became tur-
ties, now IS per cent were hatched IN
the sand, there being few skunk to de-
YOUR them. The swamp in time was
filled with swapping turtles. and they
lived on the eggs of wild ducks and
on ducks too young to leave their
nests. The ducks had about reached
the vanishing point when hotel man
ayers and restaurant owners began
serving swapping turtle soup to their
customers. Another generation of boys
and men rushed into the swamp and
put back to where nature could take
care of 1t. The skunks returned and
with them came the wild ducks and the
old equilibrium was restored"
What is there in the report that a
bloody war of determination has been
declared by ornithologists against
English sparrows?"
The report is not entirely errone-
GUS" DR.. Fisher answered Efforts
will be made to hold the English spar
rows in check. There are too many
Of them. :.
They. eat more or less grain and don't
live in amity with other birds Cities
and villages are their sanctuaries.
Refuged by man, the hawks, eagles
and owls can't get them.
&*
But the English sparrow will not
be exterminated unless his tongue
should become salable. or he should
grow tusks suitable for watch chains.
He can be eaten. however. and ought
to gain favor as a delicate and nour-
ishing article of diet.
The Island of Great Bermuda tried
tn n1ya he
payment of bounties. After nearly
bankrupting its treasury it abandoned
the attempt. and now there are more
sparrows than before. I have expert
mented little with sparrows myself.
with colony numbering 3s3, that in
habited corner of the Smithsonian
grounds. A trap containing grain was
employed. We found song sparrow
among the prisoners the first day and
turned him loose He was back in the
trap the second day. The third day
he was standing at the door waiting to
be released.
I'VE caught him every day that the
trap was used, and he was always at
the door, through which he would step
somewhat dejectedly. as though dis
graced. and after shaking out his
feathers would hop into tree and ex-
press his thanks with one OF his sweet
est notes.
IAN but eleven of the English spar
rows were caught in the trap We
poisoned seven of the eleven. The other
four meant to shoot, but l was called
out of Washington on business and
they escaped. The colony was re-es-
tablfshed by those four sparroWs, and
is now as numerous as ever
DO birds think? John Burroughs told
me that they do not"
Il could debate that question either
way for month" DR.. Fisher replied.
The divisional line separating reason
from instinct is so obscure that it can
not always be located with precision.
spoke of a wolf who killed cattle to
the value of $4,000. Once that wolf lost
two of his toes in trap. His tracks.
therefore. could be Identified.
Men and dogs hunted him for sew
eral years. In the match of wits he
defeated man until. growing careless
Tor a moment, he was caught and
killed"
What are the economic investiga-
tlons concerning birds that are being
carried on under your direction"
The national government is finding
out what food is eaten by the different
Species Dr. Fisher answered Seven
ty-fve thousand bird stomachs have
been examined The information thus
obtained is helpful to farmers.
For example: We have learned that
birds would rather eat mulberries than
cherries. Country people. consequently.
are advised to plant guard lines of null
berry trees around their cherry or
chards."
Copyright 1917 nv James B. Morrow.)