NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



When the land is clothed with vegetation, this erosion 

 of the soil is prevented, and a large percentage of the 

 water is retained and absorbed by the earth. Here, 

 again, we have cause and effect. Man destroys the 

 birds ; insect pests increase and eat up the vegetation ; 

 pasturage disappears and the land is ruined. These 

 are the two sides of the picture : — No birds : swarms 

 of insects ; no food for stock ; barren land. Numerous 

 birds : few insects ; rich pasturage ; good land, increas- 

 ing every year in fertility. Verily, as ye sow, that 

 shall ye also reap. 



In the vicinity of Pietermaritzburg, many years 

 ago, the larks and other grass birds were practically 

 exterminated by youths and boys with shot and 

 pellet guns. This resulted in the grass being 

 eaten off most alarmingly by grasshoppers. The 

 tender, sweet and nutritious grasses died off and the 

 hardy wire grass, which is unpalatable to stock, super- 

 seded it. In other places noxious weeds, which the 

 grasshoppers would not eat, gained the upper hand, 

 ripened their seeds and sowed them broadcast, with the 

 aid of the wind, over the cultivated lands. Thus, 

 owing to our carelessness and want of specialised 

 knowledge, or criminal failure to heed the warnings 

 of naturalists, dire and lasting harm was wrought. 



James Buckland mentions an instance which 

 occurred some years ago in Bridgewater, Massachusetts, 

 U.S.A. A great battue was held by the ignorant towns- 

 people in the spring-time, resulting in so many grass 

 birds being killed that their dead bodies were ploughed 

 into the land for manure. The people paid dearly for 



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