INTRODUCTION. 



that this single colony accounted for 480 niilHons of grass- 

 hoppers daily. 



The Wren shows a distinct partiahty for that destructive 

 pest, the chafer beetle, of which each bird eats at least eighty 

 per day, during the time, that the beetle is in greatest 

 number. 



It is not generally known that many Honey-eaters play 

 the role of useful birds : the Wattle-bird, particularly, wages 

 continual war against the Cicada pest. 



The services rendered by birds from a health point of view 

 are worthy of notice, albeit such servicer are indirect. Owls 

 render willing service to the city dweller as well as to the 

 countryman. The Brown Owl of the town environs, in close 

 touch with plague-infested rats, earns our gratitude equally 

 with the White Owls who guard our granaries. Even the 

 much-persecuted Hawk, though he may steal a chicken or two 

 occasionally, demands a measure of protection, for his services 

 are many. 



Further, let us enter for one day into some 



" Sweetly rural and savage scene," 



and watch the birds. The ground birds of various species, so 

 intently engaged in searching the surface of the earth, are 

 devouring wire-worms in myriads, and the Quail, which 

 flutters up at our approach, varies its wire-worm diet by 

 devouring vast quantities of seeds, which, if allowed to scatter 

 unchecked, would shortly cover the ground with noxious 

 weeds. The Magpie-Lark wanders over the margin of ponds, 

 creeks, and swamps in search of the host of the sheep-fluke. 

 Warblers incessantly patrol the underwood in search of 



