4 Our Bird Friends. 



in consequence that the wise men of the country, 

 after taking a lot of evidence on the subject, gave 

 their verdict that " birds can Hve without man, but 

 that man cannot hve without birds." 



Only last year, the agriculturists in a certain part 

 of Scotland shot hundreds of Rooks on their nests 

 and destroyed thousands of eggs, but this year 

 they have asked that the birds may be left 

 alone on account of the increase of an injurious 

 grub that Rooks are specially useful in destroying. 



Of course, there is no denying that certain species 

 of birds do harm in fields and gardens, especially 

 when they become too numerous, but whilst taking 

 this side of the account into consideration, Ave must 

 not, in common fairness, overlook the other, namely, 

 the enormous amount of good they do us by devour- 

 ing immense numbers of injurious insects and vast 

 quantities of the seeds of troublesome weeds, without 

 ever once asking for anything in the nature of a 

 reward, except such a measure of peace as will allow^ 

 them to enjoy their wild free lives in safety. 



It is wonderful hoAv Nature provides for her 

 children. The ripening fruits of autumn come along 

 in such order as to help the birds. First we get 

 bilberries, then rowan- and elder-berries, followed b}' 

 a great feast of blackberries, to say nothing of several 

 other sorts of Avild fruits. When these have all been 

 devoured, millions of hips and haws bedeck our 

 hedgerows with their bright warm colours. Wild 

 fruits differ just as much in their qualities of mellow- 



