BIRDS 



The history of man and his attitude to wild birds 

 in every country in which he has migrated with his 

 fire-arms is an example. We have a convincing 

 instance, in the records of the pioneer farmers of New 

 Zealand, of the terrible damage which a single species 

 of caterpillar inflicted upon them. When they began 

 to cultivate the virgin soil on an extensive scale they, 

 as is usual with their kind, killed and allowed their 

 boys to amuse themselves by killing and terrorising 

 the native birds. 



A caterpillar which had hitherto struggled hard for 

 a living on native vegetation, and had been attacked con- 

 stantly by hungry, watchful birds, began to invade the 

 cultivated fields from which the birds had been driven. 

 To the consternation of the farmers, it multiplied as if 

 by magic. It swarmed in uncountable hosts and 

 spread over the land. Beautiful green fields of wheat, 

 miles in extent, became brown with the hue of this 

 destructive little creature. Nothing could stop its 

 advance. It became a blasting army. Thousands of 

 cattle and sheep were driven to and fro over them, to 

 no purpose. Horse rollers, steam rollers, and fire 

 were employed as weapons. Deep trenches of great 

 extent were dug and covered over when full of cater- 

 pillars. All human efforts were unavailing. No 

 apparent impression was made on this mighty insect 

 host. Railway trains were held up. The engineers 

 could not plough their way through the overwhelming 

 hordes of caterpillars. Man was hopelessly defeated — 

 and by a caterpillar. 



It became apparent that the colonisation of the 

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