TKANSACTIONS OF SECTION D. 205 



and tail, is a very common feature, and by no means confined 

 to sparrows. I have numerous recorded cases of the occur- 

 rence of more or less complete albinism, as well as of the 

 development of bright colom-s, in thrushes, blackbirds, linnets, 

 skylarks, and starlings. Such variations are, of course, not un- 

 common in the original habitats of all these birds, but it never 

 tends to increase. Here, on the other hand, it is of frequent 

 occurrence, and seems to me to be very decidedly on the in- 

 crease. My own observations lead me to think that birds with 

 any bizarre or distinctly-abnormal colouring are wilder and 

 more shy than their normally-coloured fellows ; but, as I have 

 only watched them in the neighbourhood of towns, where they 

 become objects of interest to passers-by, and especially to those 

 great enemies of birds — the small boys — they are in such 

 localities subjected to an amount of attention and persecution 

 which they do not receive in more sequestered parts. 



An instance of change of habit among hares has been men- 

 tioned to me since coming to Christchurch. In England I am 

 told that hares seldom produce more than two young at once, 

 while in this country the usual number is three or four. It is 

 also stated that the animals are much larger than in Britain. 

 This, of course, is due to the abundance of food-supply, and is 

 probably only true of those districts where rabbits are almost 

 unknown. 



In regard to change of habits among introduced birds, the 

 evidence is very meagre. Sparrows very commonly hawk for 

 moths and other insects here. The habit may not be a new 

 one, but I cannot learn that it is common in Britain. I have 

 been informed recently that in several parts in the North 

 Island sparrows have acquired the habit of burrowing into 

 cliffs, and that they build their nests in the holes and tunnels 

 so made. These birds, together with linnets, greenfinches, 

 and yellowhammers, are all seed-eaters, and are, no doubt, 

 graminivorous when they find other food-suj)ply short. But 

 they never in Britain act as such depredators as they do here. 

 Apparently the insect-supply, mainly through their agency, is 

 extraordinarily reduced in numbers, and they have developed 

 the habit of attacking grain-crops, but especially oats, when 

 the seed is forming and is still in the milky state. The havoc 

 they do is incalculable. Beginning with those portions of the 

 fields which adjoin hedgerows and plantations, they pick out 

 all the grain as it forms, so that by the time the crop — in the 

 ordinary course of maturing — ought to be ready to cut, there 

 is often little left but the straw. Starlings are credited with 

 being very destructive to small fruit (especially currants) in 

 some parts (though the observation is not commonly borne 

 out), and the habit is by some persons considered to be a 

 newly-acquired one. I am informed, however, by a person 



