NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



country could not be proceeded with. All man's 

 efforts to check the conquering host proved as effective 

 as a child's bank of sand erected on the seashore to stem 

 the incoming tide. The one and only hope of salvation 

 lay with the native birds. The chastened farmers, 

 repenting of their folly, did their utmost to encourage 

 the birds to return. 



The birds had, however, suffered so severely from 

 his treachery and his murderous weapons that those 

 which ventured on his fields fled in terror at sight of 

 him. Until the advent of the European, the birds 

 had lived in loving friendship with the Maoris. They 

 now refused to be propitiated. Their experiences had 

 made them excessively suspicious of all human-folk. 

 As a last resource, and as a final despairing experiment, 

 the Government introduced birds from England. 

 The one which made itself thoroughly at home and 

 bred most rapidly was the common house sparrow 

 {Passer domesticus). To the help rendered by this 

 much-despised and persecuted bird the New Zealand 

 farmers owed their salvation. Indeed, the entire 

 population was rescued from destitution and red ruin, 

 for those resident in the villages and towns were 

 dependent upon the farming community directly and 

 indirectly for a living. 



The great majority of reptiles are useful allies in 

 our war against insects, but most of them cease to 

 feed, and hibernate during the winter months ; and 

 even when they are abroad their needs are not large 

 in the way of food, very little satisfying them. 



On the contrary, birds feed daily throughout the 



