The Scottish Naturalist. 95 



BE VIEWS. 



REPORTS OF OBSERVATIONS OF INJURIOUS INSECTS AND COMMON FARM 

 PESTS, WITH METHODS OF PREVENTION AND REMEDY. 



By E. A. ORMEROD. 



We have before us two of the above Reports (viz., the Eighth, for 1884, and the 

 Ninth, for 18S5), subsequent to that last noticed in this Magazine. These two 

 retain the eminently practical character of the previous Reports ; and are 

 indispensible to all who are interested in this, a department alike of Entomology, 

 and of Economic Botany. Among the subjects discussed with especial fullness 

 in both Reports, are, the true value of Sparrows in horticulture and in farming, 

 and the ravages of the Warble Fly, so well known to farmers as living under 

 the skin of cattle, and injuring the hides. Sparrows have been under observa- 

 tion for some time in America, as well as in Great Britain, and the verdict, in 

 almost all cases, is that they eat very few insects, unless driven to do so by 

 hunger, but prefer to feed on seeds of cultivated plants in gardens, or in fields. 

 They are also hurtful by driving from the localities they frequent the true 

 insectivorous birds, which have weaker bills, and are unsuited to fight, literally 

 for existence, with the sparrows. In many districts measures are now being 

 taken to diminish the number of sparrows, with the result that insects are found 

 to be lessened in number, owing to increase in the number of swallows and 

 other purely insectivorous birds. This gain is further increased by the fact that 

 peas, corn, and other produce of a kind generally liable to severe injury from 

 the sparrows, is not in any way injured by the birds that take their place when 

 their numbers are reduced. In the United States and in Canada the sparrows 

 have increased to such an extent since their introduction, about twenty years 

 ago, that the American Ornithologists' Union reported formally on the matter 

 in 1885, after having had under consideration a mass of evidence in the form of 

 replies to a series of questions that were distributed widely to persons likely to 

 give information of value. The conclusions arrived at were : 1. That shelter- 

 ing or otherwise fostering sparrows by the public should be discouraged; and that 

 their introduction artificially, into new localities, and their sale for such purposes 

 should be forbidden by law. 2. That all existing laws protecting the sparrow 

 should be repealed, and bounties offered for its destruction. The "Wild 

 Birds Protection Act" does not prevent the destruction of sparrows by owners 

 of land or of houses, or by any persons authorised by them, in any method 

 thought best, since these birds are not named in the schedule of birds attached 

 to the bill. 



There are few statements in either of the Reports under Review from 

 Scotch farmers or gardeners fewer considerably than in former years ; ycj 

 this can hardly be due to lessened injury from the ravages of insects, but rather 

 must be attributed to a failure on the part of those most likely to benefit by the 

 Reports to appreciate the very real practical value of observations, such as are 

 recorded in them, in regard to both the life-histories of the insects, and the 

 most effectual means of limiting their ravages. 



The following pests are noticed in the Reports, the special Report being 



