6o on Jhooting pigeons, Sept.lt, 



annually destroyed in the filling season by pigeons, 

 which do not themselves yield L. 500 of revenue /i^r 

 annum. This is not merely vexatious and opprefsive 

 to the farmers, it is a national calamity, worse than 

 the mildew or the smutt, — I had almost said, than the 

 Hcjsianjty ; and yet if the industrious hulbandman, 

 indignant at the havoc made in his crop by these ver- 

 min, Qiould attempt to prevent it by destroying them, 

 he is in danger of being overwhelmed by a whole 

 combination of landlords against him ! 



It would be more laudable in these great men to. 

 ^nter into an afsociation to feed their own pigeons 

 at this season of the year, than to prosecute those 

 who in defence of their property destroy them. The 

 damage they do to the standing corns is far beyondl 

 what is savtd in the expence of tbeir feeding. 



It may be alleged tliat the farmers, instead of 

 Jhooting the pigeons, may drive them away by scares- 

 and rickets. But that has always been, and everwill: 

 be, a vain attempt, so long as their owners withhold, 

 food from them at home. Nay, fhameful as it may 

 seem, it is a notorious fact, that Tnany wealthy ewn^. 

 ers of pigeoJis^ with the greatest afjiduity, drive away 

 their ownfloclks at this season from their ovm lands y 

 that they may prey on the crop of the neighbouring 

 farmers I 



One worJd almost think, that in these rtvolUtion 

 ti'.ics there. \s a general conspiracy against our^ooJ 

 old constitution. On the one hand we have the demo^ 

 cratic faction endeavouring to inflame the minds of 

 the people against it, by misrepresenting our own si- 

 tuation, coaipared with their Frenchifed ide^s of civil 



