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Show COUNTING THE BIRDS A census or birds is to bo taken ull over tho country-the last ot May and first of Juno by Federal investigators. investi-gators. It Is believed that by count. Ing nesting places, a fairly accurato Idea of bird population can bo had. It such n census had been made ten or twenty yearn ago, It is probablo that tho 191G figures would show a largo decline Tho birds are tho principal deciders decid-ers or growing crops against pests. Dut public sentiment has been slow to secure their protection. If a bird serves no vlslblo purposo In the state where ho spends part of his llfo, he la ruthlessly slaughtered for I'Ot plo, regardless or whether ho ls the salvation sal-vation or tho crops In somo other state. Tho migratory bird law giv ing uniform protection ls yei to oo passed on as to constitutionality by tho United Stntcs Supremo court. Hlrd llfo has many enemies. Tho Ignorant immigrant, regarding this as n freo country, Joyously Rots out with a shot gun and slaughters a dozen do-zen or two songsters for a luscious dinner. Pecndent natives kill thorn for shipment to city hotels. Tho cats from cultured homes roam unrestrained unrestrain-ed througii orchards and lawns, picking pick-ing up the young who cannot fly. It seems Inconsistent to spend millions mil-lions in teaching tho farmer how to ralso crops, nnd noxt to nothing on saving the birds that aro tho only sure protection of tho crops after they aro planted. Thus protection of bird llfo is intimately in-timately related to cost or living. Food prices will bo high as long ns swarms or Insects dovastato tho fields This argument should nppenl to thoso who see such questions moro ly lu tho light or dollars. Hut thero aro many for whom birds perform other services, and to whom country llfo without tholr cheory songs would hccui llko a body minus soul. |
