NATURAL HISTORY OF SOUTH AFRICA 



we remain stupidly indifferent to the effective striking 

 power of this ally in our unending war on insects. 



The average layman does not, as a general rule, 

 observe accurately or reason overmuch on his observa- 

 tions. It is good enough for him to see a bird feeding 

 on his fruit, his grain, or his chickens to forthwith declare 

 war on all birds of the same species. Many farmers 

 can only distinguish a few species out of a hundred or 

 more. They class them merely as "small birds"; 

 or, if belonging to the great bird of prey family, they 

 are " hawks " or " eagles." There are in South 

 Africa a few birds whose destructiveness is so apparent 

 that they stand condemned. An instance in point is 

 the coly or muis vogel (Colius). With the exception 

 of this species and a few others, it is essential to have 

 expert analysis of the contents of crops and stomachs 

 at different periods of the year before pronouncing 

 judgment on a bird. This work should be conducted 

 in the laboratory and in the field. 



It is not only the suffering of the bird we are 

 trying to prevent ; it is the moral degradation of 

 the person who causes the suffering. 



" And a town meeting was convened straightway 

 To set a price upon the guilty heads 

 Of these marauders, who in lieu of pay 



Levied blackmail upon the garden beds 

 And corn-fields, and beheld without dismay 



The awful scarecrow, with his fluttering shreds ; 

 The skeleton that waited at their feast, 



Whereby their sinful pleasure was increased." 



Longfellow. 

 186 



