164 NOTES ON THE TREE SPARROW, 



without a single exception, was composed of four dark-coloured eggs, closely 

 resembling each other, and a fifth of so light a colour as to form a striking 

 contrast to the rest. I should like to know, from the observations of others of 

 your numerous correspondents, whether this peculiarity would seem universally 

 to prevail, or whether it is only to be considered as an accidental or a local 

 peculiarity. I have not yet ascertained whether this light-coloured egg is the 

 last laid or the first, or whether there is no precise rule respecting it, but 

 will endeavour to satisfy myself upon that point this season. 



I much fear, however, that as certain other colonies have within our own 

 recollection, sufiered from the impolicy of those who ought to have been their 

 protectors; so this colony of pretty, interesting, and useful birds is about to 

 suflfer from a like source, namely, the impolicy of those whose protection and 

 encouragement it ought to have, and which, were they not wholly blind to 

 their own interests, it undoubtedly would have; alas! instead of protection (the 

 British farmer used to have that word constantly on his lips, and moreover 

 used to rejoice mightily at the sound thereof; but protection, in so far as 

 relates to the importation of foreign corn, having been, by an act of the 

 Legislature, withdrawn from him, he seems determined, most likely in a fit of 

 utter desperation, to tear away, in the most suicidal manner, every remnant 

 of that protection which is still left him, and which the Legislature has not, 

 in its wisdom, yet thought fit to interfere with, namely, the protection of his 

 crops from the ravages of wire-worm, grub, or caterpillar which the feathered 

 tribes afford him,) a war of extermination is forthwith to be commenced and 

 carried on against these little creatures; for one of those mischief-working 

 associations, and very great nuisances, ycleped a Sparrow Club, has just been 

 formed; so that unless a Waterton — Honour to him of Walton Hall! for the 

 zeal and energy with which, during the course of a long life, he has advocated 

 the cause of the various creatures which, though occupying a less-exalted 

 position in the scale of creation than man, are yet fulfilling, in the several 

 stations assigned them, (can this be said of man?) the beneficent designs of 

 their Great Creator. May he be enabled to continue active in that cause for 

 years yet to come; unless a Waterton should haply rise up here, (would that 

 each district could boast of one,) and convince the members of the Club of their 

 extreme folly before it be too late; woe betide the poor Tree Sparrows! 



The late Sir Eobert Peel was supposed to have inflicted a terrible blow 

 upon the agricultural interest in his repeal of the corn laws; and loud and 

 bitter were the complaints against him in consequence of that act; but 

 I much mistake if a blow, far more deadly, is not being aimed at that 

 interest by the agriculturists themselves, in their destruction of Sparrows, Rooks, 

 etc. The small quantity of corn, in its soft state, that is before it becomes 

 perfectly ripe, which is the only state in which they have a great fondness 

 for it; and to which they can, of course, only treat themselves for 

 two or three weeks in the year, is compensated for, ten thousand times fold, 

 by the vast numbcre of grubs, caterpillars, and other root, branch, and 



