91 
tive of the Family, continues too numerous, in spite of the price 
placed upen his head. A few years ago, Naturalists (who should 
certainly have known better) were pleased to write to the daily 
papers to denounce the farmers for destroying the Sparrows; they 
taking the part of the persecuted bird, and even praising it as a 
useful friend to the Agriculturalist, in destroying the larve of 
insects that fed upon his crops. I do not underrate the use of the 
old parent birds as insect destroyers, while the young are unfledged ; 
but as it is then only that they are animal feeders, it is obvious 
that for the greater portion of their lives they are graniverous, 
and the young birds, as soon as they leave the nest, are equally 
destructive. I believe the Sparrow, from its constant association 
with human haunts, has learned several pernicious habits, that 
render him the most destructive of the finches. He has a great 
liking for the nectar secreted by flowers; just when the flower is 
ripe for the fructificating pollen. At such times, instead of the 
visits of the Bee and the Moth, the flower is visited by the 
Sparrows. Hence we find crocuses and polyanthuses, and cherry, 
gooseberry and currant blossoms, are pecked off by the birds, 
merely that they may sip the nectar. In this way, the Green 
Linnet is even more destructive than the Sparrow. When the 
orchards are in full bloom, I have known the ground beneath the 
trees quite white with the blossoms thus picked off, and I have 
shot the birds and opened their crops, and found them entirely 
filled with the ovules of the flowers. 
The Hawfinch cannot be considered common, but it is, I 
believe, more numerous than is generally suspected, being a very 
shy bird. It occasionally is shot in our cherry orchards in 
summer ; and found devouring holly berries in winter. 
The Goldfinch is less destructive of farm produce, and most 
useful in destroying thistle seeds: but though met with in 
tolerably large flocks, is not so abundant as remember it. This, 
I believe, is owing to the bird catchers. The Siskin is also 
getting scarce for the same reason. The curious Crossbill has 
frequented this neighbourhood, and the very rare Parrot Crossbill 
I have to record, but the exact locality is unknown. 
The Linnets and Redpolls have occasionaly visited our 
neighbourhood in great numbers, when there has been much 
turnip seed about, but they migrate to places wherever it is most 
grown. 
THE ICTERIDA AND STURNIDA.—(page 110). 
The Red Winged Starling is quite a tropical bird in 
appearance, and indeed is an American bird, but has been 
obtained from the neighbourhood of New Romney. 
