BIRDS 



impossible for him to live and enjoy the fruits of his 

 toil. In his orchard and garden man can, to a limited 

 extent, keep the insects in check with various insecti- 

 cides, which are after all unnatural and expensive, and 

 often dangerous. Even with these aids he is fre- 

 quently overwhelmed. When his crops, his pasturage, 

 and his forests are invaded by ravening hordes of 

 insects, his offensive collapses and his defences are 

 demolished. He sits in his home, chafes, blames 

 Providence, the Government, or thinks the visitation 

 a Divine punishment for his sins. In this latter 



The Slug is a garden pest, and birds are its enemies. 



surmise he is not far wrong, for it truly is a chastise- 

 ment for his sins and those of his neighbours in allow- 

 ing his friends and allies — the native birds — to be perse- 

 cuted, done to death, or driven to seek less dangerous 

 hunting grounds. 



Insects are attacked by parasites, diseases, and fungi, 

 and some kinds prey upon others ; but all these 

 natural checks, with the fight put up by man, are 

 altogether and entirely inadequate to prevent insects 

 from increasing to uncountable hosts and sweeping 

 all vegetable life from the face of the earth, except 

 by the aid of his allies the birds. 



Insects are preyed upon by some species of small 

 mammals; by lizards, toads, and other reptiles and 



9 



