264 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



bird-life. Did not the ancients name that unwholesome lake 

 Avernus the Mouth of Hell, because it was birdless ? 



It is frequently put forward by those who strive to protect 

 bird-life that birds act as natural checks to the undue increase 

 of insect and molluscan life. This may be so. But in connection 

 with this we must bear in mind that in those countries in which 

 small birds are shot at all times of the year, insect and other 

 pests are no worse than where birds are protected by law. In 

 some cases at least, where birds are always killed and are 

 scarce, as in parts of France, Italy, and Belgium, insect and 

 other pests are not so harmful, weeds are no more abundant 

 in the fields than with us in Britain. 



It is much easier, we all know, to keep down weeds by 

 proper and cleanly cultivation than it is to stop birds damaging 

 our crops, fruit, seed, and trees. We must also bear in mind 

 that birds distribute seeds. 



When the earth was peopled by animals and birds alone, 

 when even man was scantily present, when Nature, not man, 

 ruled the world, then birds played their part in keeping the 

 balance of nature and in spreading vegetation. 



The Rooks undoubtedly account for the natural distribution 

 of oaks, carrying the acorns from place to place and dropping 

 them en route. Man sets his own plantations now ; what does 

 it matter what the Rook does ? many will say. On the other 

 hand, there are many things that birds do for man which he 

 himself could not do except at very great expense. 



What would be the state of our permanent pastures if there 

 were no birds ? In a few years thousands of acres would 

 probably be bared by subterranean insects. Were it not for 

 Rooks, Jackdaws, Starlings, Plovers, and Gulls, the white-grubs, 

 wireworms, leather-jackets, etc., would increase in such enormous 

 numbers that the grass would be destroyed wholesale. Has any 

 man devised, or is any man likely to devise, a plan of so treating 

 pasture land as to kill all those persistent and ever-increasing 

 enemies ? Until he does so we must rely on nature. 



Even the sowing of seeds by birds is of some benefit, for the 

 Nutcracker prefers high mountain regions, where planting is very 

 costly, and the assistance to man in this respect is of great value. 



Such birds as have been mentioned above, of course, do 

 some harm elsewhere by destroying seed-wheat, maize, fruit, 

 and forest seeds. 



