180 OUR BIRD ALLIES. 
That is the case for the defence. 
We must look upon the sparrow, in its relations 
to human interests, as one of the parties to a debtor 
and creditor account, performing certain services, 
and claiming a certain payment in return for the 
same. 
Is it alone in doing so? Is labour of any kind 
to be obtained in this world for nothing? 
Our soldiers preserve our country and its depen- 
dencies from invasion and conquest; and our army 
costs us rather more than eighteen millions of money 
per annum. 
Our navy protects our coasts and our commerce; 
and our navy costs us nearly thirteen millions. 
Our police and constabulary preserve our domestic 
peace, and protect our personal property; and we 
pay them three millions and a half in the year. 
Why, then, should we grudge to the birds a small 
share of our produce, seeing that they save for us so 
much? Why cannot we regard them as Nature’s 
army, navy, and police, which, in return for their 
services, must be maintained at a not excessive cost ? 
We reap the benefit of their labours ; why should not 
ours be the expense ? 
It is true that the sparrow charges more highly—to 
continue the metaphor—for its services than many 
other birds. But in wages there is always a degree ; 
and those who perform the most and the best work 
are not as a rule the most highly paid. Some will 
work for a large salary; others for a low. But, so 
long as the returns exceed the outgoings, however 
