2 Transactions . — Miscellaneous. 



has induced me to deal with a different and more useful, 

 practical subject — namely, whether the attempt now being 

 made to obtain legislative authority to exterminate our small 

 birds is justifiable or not? The title which I have given to 

 this address is taken from a work on ornithology written bv 

 Michelet, the great French historian, who added to the dis- 

 tinction which he attained in that character, that of an eminent 

 practical writer on natural history. 



Those who have had the advantage of reading his work 

 will have seen that it was specially intended to demonstrate 

 the enormous advantages which man derives, both directly and 

 indirectly, from the labours of the bird, and to impress upon 

 'him the fact that the wanton destruction of these beautiful 

 and useful creatures is not only grossly cruel, but is surely 

 followed by disaster to the destroyer ; and it is my object in 

 this address to show that, if the proposed legislation be 

 adopted and effectively carried out, it will certainly inflict 

 disaster not only upon those through whose ignorance and 

 prejudices it is being promoted, but practically upon the 

 whole population of the colony, and I cannot but think that 

 if such a result be even possible it was incumbent upon those 

 who are promoting it to have made careful inquiries into the 

 grounds of objection raised against the birds before proceeding 

 to the length now contemplated. In order, however, to deal 

 fairly with the questions at issue it was necessary that I 

 should first ascertain whether the proposed legislation is 

 directed against small birds generally or against some special 

 bird or birds ; and, if the latter, then to inquire into the 

 nature of the offences of which i\\o,} T or it are accused. 



I have taken some pains to obtain a reply to these ques- 

 tions, and the common answer to the first by those who 

 support the proposed legislation is, " the sparrow." When 

 asked what are the special offences for which the sparrow 

 deserves the condign punishment intended for him, the reply 

 is, " We are told by the farmer and the fruit-grower that he 

 does the most serious injury to their crops without affording 

 any compensation whatsoever for so doing"; and they add 

 that " not only in New Zealand but in other countries he is 

 looked upon by the farmer and the fruit-grower as an im- 

 pudent thief, without a redeeming feature in his character." 

 Certain other birds, and especially the blackbird and green- 

 linnet, are also looked upon as injurious, but for downrignt 

 wickedness not one of them is a patch upon the sparrow. 



Now, assuming that the extermination of the sparrow is 

 really the principal object aimed at by the intended legis- 

 lation, I propose to point out generally, first, the nature and 

 extent of the injuries done to our animal and vegetable pro- 

 ductions by insects ; and, second the uses of insectivorous 



