BIRDS AND PASTURAGE 



pushed their heads above ground they were eaten off 

 by these voracious grasshoppers, which in a day con- 

 sume ten times their weight in vegetation. Four 

 acres of lucerne were attacked by a countless swarm 

 of green caterpillars, and every leaf found its way 

 into the inside of a caterpillar. Insects were in 

 myriads on the veld ; native trees and shrubs suffered 

 heavily. Migratory birds arrived and helped to check 

 the enemy's advance until the native birds had once 

 again increased sufficiently to hurl back the foe. The 

 loss indirectly occasioned to the farming industry by 

 the destruction of bird life in that blizzard was 

 enormous. 



In the neighbourhood of Port Elizabeth the pasture 

 lands for several seasons in succession were invaded 

 by hairy caterpillars which swarmed everywhere. 

 They devoured both grass and shrubs, and invaded 

 the vegetable and flower gardens. My grounds were 

 a sanctuary for birds, and in consequence they congre- 

 gated, bred, and slept there in large numbers. I 

 kept the birds under careful observation, and found 

 the only one which attacked and ate this uninviting- 

 looking caterpillar was the silent bush robin, other- 

 wise known as the black and white flycatcher (Sigelus 

 silens). This is a sociable little bird, and it builds its 

 nest in situations easily accessible to the egg-hunting 

 boy. Consequently its little home is raided and 

 robbed on a wholesale scale every breeding season. 

 The adult birds are persecuted and killed by boys 

 at all times. Some kill them wantonly, but the 

 majority relentlessly persecute these eminently useful 



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