BIRD NOTES *nd NEWS 



Issued (Quartcrhr bn the llonal ^orictn for the ^rotertton of ^irbs. 



Vol. III.— No. 5.] 



London : 3, Hanover Squark, \V. 



[MARCH 25, 1909. 



VERMIN." 



HE Incorporated Society for the 

 Destruction of Vermin, which is, 

 no doubt, both well-intentioned 

 and scientific, continues to pursue 

 a policy that appears alike mischievous and 

 unscientific with regard to the destruction 

 of birds. While the economic aspect of 

 the question of bird protection is being 

 carefully and seriously considered b\ T orni- 

 thologists and agriculturists of this and 

 other countries ; while practical investigators 

 like Mr. Xewstead, of Liverpool University, 

 Mr. Gordon Hewitt, of Manchester, and Mr. 

 Archibald, of Leeds, are finding their way 

 to conclusions slowly and laboriously through 

 years of study ; while the British Associa- 

 tion propose to carry on researches into the 

 status of two or three species by means of a 

 long series of investigations, — the I.S.D.V. 

 incontinently rushes in with its list of " rats, 

 mice, sparrows, ticks, fleas, mosquitoes, and 

 flies," and with bribes, or prizes, for the 

 formation of Ci Rat (and Sparrow) Clubs " 

 in any and every part of the Kingdom. 



This is not a matter that concerns the 

 destruction of the House-Sparrow only. 

 Upon that point, indeed, the new Society 

 is seemingly without conviction. It has been 

 curiously obvious from the first that the 

 I.S.D.V. speaks with two voices ; the 

 published issues of its "Journal " further 

 illustrate the ambiguity of its position; but 

 unfortunately action is on the one side, while 

 the other side confines itself to the ex- 

 pression of vague opinions and the use of 

 apologetic brackets when the (Sparrow) is 

 mentioned. 



In the first number of the " Journal."' 

 Mr. Moore, the Society's secretary, has an 

 article on " Rat (and Sparrow) Clubs," in 



which he says that nothing is '" further from 

 our minds than the encouragement of in- 

 discriminate slaughter," and that he is glad 

 to have an opportunity to explain " our 

 scheme." He proceeds to comment on the 

 ordinary village Sparrow Club " generally 

 promoted by the squire or a few tenant 

 farmers," and drawing a good share of its 

 funds from " the village triarchy, the squire, 

 the parson, and the publican." He 

 continues : — 



" Where economic biologists fear to tread when 

 it comes to a definition of ' vermin ' the farmer and 

 fruit-grower rushes in and proclaims any bird that 

 may at any time have been detected in tasting 

 forbidden fruit; hence Jackdaws. Magpies. Hedge- 

 Sparrows, Flycatchers, Tits, and other birds are 

 put on the condemned list and killed ' for points.' 



" It is clear that under such a system — or absence 

 of system — of defining vermin much harm is un- 

 wittingly done by these clubs, nor is it possible to 

 say that this evil is to some extent atoned for by 

 the ' good work done by the clubs in killing rats.' 

 From this Society's point of view, all the efforts 

 of the clubs in rat-killing are so much waste of 



time, effort and money Judging them on 



their total results the Rat (and Sparrow) Clubs 

 are a failure in the campaign against rats, and 

 an doing distinct harm by the unreasonable slaughter 

 of all kinds of birds." 



(The italics are ours.) And. further : — 

 " As regards the Sparrow, it will have been 

 observed that throughout this article it has appeared 

 in brackets : though " Rat and Sparrow Club " is 



merely a title, we do not wish it to be underst 1 



that we place the Sparrow in the same category 

 as the rat — at any rate, not on the evidence we 

 possess against it so far. At present we regard the 

 Sparrow merely as a local pest. In some districts 

 where it had increased to enormous numbers, 

 this bird does great injury to man's produce. The 

 little good it does in feeding its young on caterpillars 

 is not sufficient to atone for the harm it does; 

 where, therefore, it is proved to the satisfaction of 

 the Society that the Sparrow has become vermin, 

 the Society will encourage its destruction. Where, 

 however, this bird has not been proved to be a pest, 

 the Society will endeavour to protect it by refusing 

 to admit to membership under the National Scheme 

 all Rat and Sparrow Clubs operating in such 

 districts."' 



What then are the conditions and methods 

 of the Society which is to supersede the 



