DESTRUCTIVE BIRDS 



air-guns are the best means of destroying them. 

 When a shot-gun is discharged in an orchard, 

 useful insectivorous birds are terrified to such an 

 extent that they flee in wild alarm and often do not 

 return. 



The red-winged and glossy starlings, although by 

 Nature insectivorous birds, have become confirmed 

 fruit-eaters, and they often do extensive damage to 

 fruit in the orchards. Otherwise these starlings 

 render excellent service in destroying insects. 



The little white eye is one of our finest insect- 

 eaters, and it performs services of a special kind. 

 It creeps through the bushes and trees, carefully 

 scrutinising every leaf, twig, and shoot in search of 

 the eggs and young larvae of insects. It, however, does 

 damage to soft, ripe fruits, but its depredations are 

 usually not serious to the fruit grower. When, of 

 course, a man has only a few fruit trees, a small flock 

 of these birds will make serious inroads on his limited 

 supply of fruit. 



It is not the purpose of this book to detail all the 

 ways and means of destroying birds which may do more 

 harm than good to individual farmers. Should any 

 particular bird become troublesome, and if its natural 

 habits are not known, a letter of inquiry should be 

 sent to the nearest public museum asking for the 

 desired information. Then if the farmer, after weigh- 

 ing the evidence for and against, is convinced the bird 

 is more destructive than beneficial to him, he should 

 take the most efficient measures he is able to devise 

 to reduce its numbers. If he is in doubt as to 



217 



