Manchester Memoirs, Vol. Ixvi. (192 1) 19 



introducing- successful colonists. At Woburn already it has 

 been necessary to have a squirrel drive, and though neither 

 squirrel nor little owl may be guilty of all the crimes laid to 

 their charge, it is certain that as both are rapidly spreading 

 some other creatures are suffering. I have heard complaints 

 from Hertfordshire and Northants, where the little owl 

 flourishes, that the tawny and barn owl are decreasing ; there 

 is only a certain catchable quantity of owl food and the smart 

 little owl is getting the pick. The bird has now reached our 

 area, where during the last ten years or so the barn and tawny 

 owls have increased ; what will the next decade show ? 



There are many introductions for which we are not inten- 

 tionally responsible, creatures which travel with and in our 

 food supplies. Many of these come merely as stowaways and 

 perish in an inhospitable land, but others, the hangers-on of 

 civilisation, follow man wherever he takes or sends his sup- 

 plies. The codlin moth, estimated to cost America at least 

 ;i""2,ooo,ooo annually, we sent from Europe, and in return we 

 have to thank America for the American blight. Cockroaches 

 travel from various parts of the world, for they are great 

 navigators, and colonise wherever thev land. The Mediter- 

 ranean flower moth is everywhere, its land of origin is uncer- 

 tain, and that small weevil, Calandra granaria, is a similar 

 cosmopolitan pest. These and many others, too numerous to 

 mention, increase and spread as trade increases and spreads. 

 We must investigate their life story and take whatever course 

 we can to reduce them to their original status. 



Having realised that Man not only has been but still is 

 responsible for great changes in animal life, many of which 

 entail the passing of species, two questions may with reason 

 be asked. Why should we endeavour to preserve any of 

 those animals which are so feeble that they cannot keep their 

 own ends up ? To that I would answer with other questions. 

 Do we desire to see any of the existing forms follow after those 

 which have gone ? And do we look forw^ard with joy to a 

 land, nay a world, peopled only bv Man, his domesticated 

 slaves, his animate commercial assets and his parasites? If 

 this is not a pleasant outlook, then what must we do ? 



There are, as I have said, two ways of dealing with Protec- 

 tion — legislation and public opinion. If we foster the latter 

 the former will follow. But we want our legislation to be 

 wise, and to achieve this our advocacy of the cause must also 

 be wise. Newton, as bird protector, was sarcastic about many 

 methods of its advocates. '' The worst is that people will 

 gush and be sentimental .... the sentimentalists give far 



