THE LOVE OF BIRDS 



songs with the nightingale's. Some of the writers 

 are absolutely tied to town life, and only see and 

 hear a few birds in parks and gardens. Some 

 studied birds in their youth, were too preoccupied 

 with business in middle-age to pursue the subject, 

 but wish to return to it in later life. Some would 

 like to begin in old age. I have a letter from Dean 

 Hole for instance the most winning writer and 

 talker on outdoor life, perhaps because he joined 

 study of Nature with study of human nature in 

 which he brings a rare enthusiasm to the subject of 

 birds, though over eighty years of age. Indeed for 

 a land of Philistines, England has an extraordinary 

 number of bird-lovers. 



England has also many whose feeling for birds 

 is tempered by a wish to get all the good they can 

 out of their garden and farm crops. Watts, some 

 years ago, sketched an angel bending low, full of 

 pity, over a number of slaughtered birds. This 

 picture was reproduced in a magazine for which I 

 was asked to write an article. I am on the side of 

 the angels, with certain reservations. There is little 

 reason, and less use, in reviling the market gardener, 

 the professional cultivator generally, for wishing to 

 protect his crop, which is the livelihood of himself 

 and those who depend on him, from birds. It 

 would be false sentiment to do so it would be 

 perilously near cant in any one who has to earn his 

 livelihood. What we really need to know is the 

 harm and the good to crops done by birds. There 

 is at present no agreement about this. Everybody 



83 



