338 MISCELLANEOUS OBSERVATIONS 



destruction of small birds, intended, as they have 

 been for the benefit of man.* 



From information communicated to me, I have 

 reason to be more convinced than ever, that both 

 Herrings and Mackerel only perform partial mi- 



* A friend, (the Rev. J. Mitford) whose opinion is at variance 

 with that advanced in the text, on the question as to whether some 

 of the smaller birds are useful or injurious to fruit trees and vege- 

 tables, has sent me some twigs of the cherry, gooseberry, and 

 Pyrus japonica, in which the blossom-buds, he says, are entirely 

 eaten out by the Bullfinch; and he adds, that all the buds in 

 one large bush of P. japonica in his garden are destroyed by them. 

 His gardener, who is a very experienced and observant person, 

 informs him, that he has seldom seen any birds but the Black 

 Titmouse, in Autumn, feeding on caterpillars ; even the Robin 

 seldom, who prefers earth-worms and earwigs. His gardener 

 has given the names of the birds that he considers the most 

 destructive to the garden crops, and the particular nature of the 

 mischief they do. 



The Bullfinch. All buds, cherry, gooseberry ; after these, the 

 apple. 



The House-Sparrow. Gooseberry buds and peas. 



Chaffinch. All vegetable seeds, as they come up in the Spring. 



Linnet. All seeds ripening in the Autumn, especially spinach 

 and beet. 



Hedge- Sparrow. Draws out of the ground young onions and 

 leeks. 



Thrushes and Blackbirds. Ripe fruit of all kinds. 



Norf. Nightingale. Cherries, raspberries, &c. when ripe. 



The Jay. Strips off whole rows of ripe peas, and beans. 



These observations were made in a garden in the eastern side 

 of Suffolk, and are here stated, as they differ from the opinion 

 given in the Text, that their truth may be examined and verified, 

 in other quarters. 



