BIRDS AND THE GARDEN 



In the large gardens surrounding the Port Eliza- 

 beth Museum we have a pair of Stanley cranes, 

 otherwise known as blue cranes. The gardens used to 

 be swarming with snails {Helix adspersa), 

 slugs, caterpillars, and underground 

 larvae. To-day no insect life is to be 

 seen, and for the past three years these 

 two cranes have sufficed to keep the 

 gardens free of. all species of insect 

 pests, excepting scale and blight. 



One man may encourage birds in 

 his garden or on his farm, but if his 

 neighbour persecutes them they become 

 so shy and timid that the sight of a man 

 sends them flying off to their retreats in 

 terror. The consequence is, the intelli- 

 gent and humane farmer suffers equally 

 with his neighbour, for the frightened 

 and nervous birds pay his garden and 

 fields but a hurried visit at daybreak, 

 and snatch up a few caterpillars and fly 

 off" in hot haste before their arch-enemy, 

 who should be their protector, is out 

 and about. These birds, if protected, 

 would have remained and fed on cater- 

 pillars and other noxious insects all day 

 long. Thus does man prepare a scourge for his own 

 back. Sometimes a bird is seen busily digging with 

 its bill on recently planted ground for the dreaded 

 cut-worms which feed so voraciously on the tiny 

 shoots before and just after they emerge from the 



73 



The birds feed 

 their young 

 on the cater- 

 pillars in the 

 wheat. 



