File:Bulletin (Pennsylvania Game Commision), no. 7 (1911) (20500798425).jpg

Title: Bulletin (Pennsylvania Game Commision), no. 7
Identifier: bulletinpennsylv07penn (find matches)
Year: 1911 (1910s)
Authors: Pennsylvania Game Commission
Subjects: Game protection; Birds
Publisher: Harrisburg, Pa. : Pennsylvania Game commission
Contributing Library: Penn State University
Digitizing Sponsor: Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation

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24 25 cuiiic of ci\ ilization. lUit had care been used, when it was possible, some of our \anished bird> niij^ht still be with us. We d«j uot always realize that in killing certain ))irds and mam- mal^ we ihereb) ))roi)ortionatel\ increase their destruction b\ n.atural enemies, since these enemies, when permitted to live, have a smaller su))pl\ of their normal food to depend upon and must therefore draw more hea\ily on what is left. Thus when we find Great Horned Owls killin*;- Ruffed (irou^e to the )>oint of extermination we some- timo forget that throuj^h our efforts skunks, rabbits, and other normal foo(l> ma\ ha\ e been so reduced that the owls are forced to live almost altoj^'ether on the ;L»'r(»use. This is. however, no justi- fication for ))ermittin«4 the owls t(» cau>e an extermination o\ i/rouse.
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\ ALL'ARLF. BIRDS KILLED BV A FORKKiXKR 4 Robins (1 to 4); 1 Flicker (5); 2 Hairv Woodpeckers (6 to 7); 13 Cedar Wax- win^s (8 to 20): 1 I'nrple Finch (21); 1 Phoebe (22). The foreii^n element in our population i> a serious enem\ of bird- life. Chief among these offender^ are the Italians. The people of that classically esteemed nation have s(» lants everywhere, and the Italians have chosen to make their snng-birds directlv va.l- iiable as a food item. These Italian-^ in America are sometimes difficult to deal with, since they are temperamental in nature, and resent interference. I'ntil they learn that our l)irds are regarded as more valuable alive in the woods than as food in the pot. they will r have to be handled by the law until the truth dawns upon them— namely that our valuation of wild-life is more than a mere matter of sentiment. The small l)oy who goes about with stones, sling-shot, or other Aveapon, is not ahnti/s a serious enemv of bird-life, and he often later becomes a splendid bird student and ardent conservationist when shown that marvelous things can be learned about wild creatures if they are closely observed rather than killed. The boy who does chase about flinging stones here and there may eventually become one of Pennsylvania's best citizens if his efforts are di- rected into proper channels. We would prefer to see a thousand hearty lovers of the outdoors devel(»ping in Pennsylvania—even siK)rtsmen who take their recreation outdoors—than half as many men who have no interest in Xature. F^)r our real sportsmen, far from the ruthless killers they Jire often supp(»sed to be, are among the most sincerel\ interested nature-lovers and conservators we have. They are interested not only in their (»wn ))ursuits of pleas- ure, but are truly in sympathy with the lives of the woods-creatures and are doing a great deal for their protection. After all. sportsmen are the men who for the past ten ye;irs have been paying for the enforcement of laws which ))rotect our wild-life. If all bird-lovers each year pai<l for a license they might be in a better position to criticize methods of enforcement and demand that their views on protection of wild-life be heard. As it is now, too many bird-lovers c«»mi)lain about the killing of game-birds and are ai)pareutly not willing to do more than severely criticize the sports- man for shooting the birds. Why should n(»t all bird-students join the sportsmen in defraying the expenses of law enforcement, winter feeding, and maintenance of State refuges? Co-oi)eration of this kind might unite the forces of ct)nservation in our State in a power- ful way and lead to the realization of the very things which bird- lovers most ardently desire. A word concerning the collector of bird-skins is not out of place here. As a rule the scientific collector is sincere and is worthy of all the help we can give him. because he, more than anyone else, knows the value of birds, and is their most ardent defender. However, there is nothing more despicable than taking advantage of a collecting permit to satisfy personal ends. I'urely private col- lections are not to be encouraged; and if large series of specimens, be they cared for ever so well, are not available to any student who needs to use them, there is no justification for such a collection. INTENTIONAL SECOND EXPOSURE

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