IV. 



Ornithology in Relation to Ag-ricultiire 

 and Horticulture.' 



THE subject of agricultural and horticultural economics, considered 

 in the relations of birds and insects to the produce of the soil, is 

 one which, till recent years, has been singularly neglected in this 

 country. In France, Belgium, and especially in America, as 

 well as in other civilised countries, the most careful and practical 

 investigations, under the assistance of the State, have led to the 

 accumulation and diffusion of much valuable information on this and 

 kindred subjects. In England, the researches of Miss Eleanor A. 

 Ormerod (late consulting Entomologist to the Royal Agricultural 

 Society of England) are recognised as of great value in enabling the 

 farmer and gardener to detect the various insect pests which take tithe 

 of his crops, and in teaching him how best to apply suitable remedies 

 for their prevention or extirpation. 



In the present volume the editor, Mr. John Watson, has brought 

 together a series of useful papers and notes by various naturalists, 

 whose names are a sufficient guarantee of the high practical value of 

 the opinions expressed, in connection with ornithology in its bearings 

 on agriculture and horticulture. On taking up the book we are some- 

 what disappointed to find that it contains neither preface nor intro- 

 duction stating under what circumstances the various papers were 

 written, we can only conclude, therefore, that these have already 

 appeared either as newspaper articles or in some serial. The book is 

 divided into twelve chapters, under the various headings of Hawks 

 and Falcons, Owls, Wood-Pigeon, Rook, Starling, Miscellaneous 

 Small Birds, Game Birds, and an appendix, with notes and additions. 

 No less than five chapters are devoted to the sparrow, those " rats of 

 the air," " ruffians in feathers," whose mischievous and destructive 

 character are recognised and acknowledged by farmers and gardeners 

 over half the world. 



The larger birds of prey, buzzards, kites, goshawks, harriers, 

 and the noble peregrine are now virtually extirpated in England, and 



1 Ornithology in Relation to Agriculture and Horticulture. By 

 various Writers. Edited by John Watson, F.L.S., &c. London : W. H. 

 Allen & Co., 1893. 



