PROTECT THE BIRDS-------------DO ENGLISH SPARROWS DRIVE AWAY NATIVE BIRDS - SPARROWS AND SPARROW LAWS.

THE immense good our birds do in orchards, gardens and fields is more and more apparent, but only too slowly do people come to the conclusion that they need to be protected. In many districts they are much rarer than they were 15 and 20 years ago, a result of their continual persecution. Nest robbing by the well-known "small boy," destruction of the migrants by light houses and electric lights in our large towns and cities, the wholesale slaughter by pot-hunters, diminish their numbers constantly. Birds alone are able to fight the innumerable army of insect pests.

The unintelligent observer sees when the Baltimore oriole, robin, cat-bird and cedar bird take some of bis cherries and other fruits, but he does not see so soon the damage done by noxious insects, nor the numbers which the birds consume. In the height of the season when the eggs are hatched, the birds are working almost entirely for the benefit of the horticulturist and farmer, as the young are almost exclusively fed on insects. It has been found that a young bird in the nest requires a daily supply of animal food equivalent to considerably more than its own weight.

A Bird House.

Instruct your children earnestly to love the birds. Our schools should do more in this direction. Almost every state has certain bird laws. Take care that these laws are strictly obeyed. Do not allow cats to roam in gardens and fields. A cat accustomed to catch birds rarely catches mice in the seasons when birds are easily obtained. Erect bird houses in orchard and ornamental trees. Some of our most useful birds, such as bluebirds, titmice, wrens, martins and great-crested flycatchers breed in holes of trees and stumps, and suitable bird boxes are always welcomed by them.

An orchard or garden is desolate and dead without birds. They give the fields life and make them doubly attractive. They are the true poets of the gardens and woods, from early dawn until the evening twilight fades.

There are several birds which can not be welcomed with equal delight. Have you ever noticed that saucy foreigner, the European or English sparrow ? He is the anarchist of the feathered tribe, who drives away our beautiful and beneficial native birds. Where these birds are getting common the blue-birds and many others depart. The shrike or butcher-bird is a murderer, and should not be allowed to enter our premises.

Our most beneficial garden birds are the following : robin, catbird, thrasher, mocking-bird, blue-bird, titmouse, wrens, swallows, Baltimore oriole, orchard oriole, king-bird, phoebe-bird, chipping sparrow or hair-bird, song sparrow, cedar-bird, summer yellow-bird and vireos. During migration many other small birds, especially warbles, thrushes, and finches visit our gardens and are beneficial, as well as entertaining in song and beautiful in their flitting about. - Observer.