NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



ment an insect diet with grain and fruit would become 

 increasingly troublesome and destructive should they 

 increase abnormally, for, driven by hunger, they 

 would attack the orchards and crops in ever-increasing 

 numbers. Should such an increase occur, and after 

 mature consideration and observation it was found 

 these birds were really too numerous, their numbers 

 could be reduced. No man should ever come to a 



hasty decision, however, 

 for a large increase in 

 the number of birds is 

 frequently a sign of 

 unusual activity in the 

 insect world. Birds 

 are keenly intelligent 

 and more alive to the 

 right and best condi- 

 tions for rearing their 

 young than are the 

 majority of human folk. 

 The large number of birds often seen on cultivated 

 farms during the summer time is not necessarily 

 because they have foregathered to attack the 'crops. 

 Insects breed on cultivated lands at a phenomenal 

 rate. The winged mature insects flock in for miles 

 around and lay their eggs amongst the crops, knowing 

 full well that their offspring have greatly increased 

 chances of reaching maturity than if obliged to subsist 

 on the hard and limited native vegetation. Soft 

 insects, such as grubs and caterpillars, are necessary 

 food for the young birds, and naturally the parents 



164 



Hungry Baby Birds. 



