BIRDS AND EEPORT OF COMMITTEE. 5 



by insects. There was a consequent loss in oil 

 of 32-8 per cent. In a harvest which pro- 

 duced 180/., it was necessary to calculate a 

 loss of 108/., which, could it have been 

 avoided, would have produced 288/.' 



Mr. Warner states, ' Some years ago the 

 damage done to the seed growing by small 

 birds induced my father to have all the birds 

 destroyed that he could. The result was that 

 we had no leaves on the gooseberry trees at all, 

 and we lost all our crops of fruit entirely ; ' and 

 many similar instances are given. 



The insects that are vegetable feeders are 

 partly kept in check by other insects which 

 prey upon them, and it is an interesting fact 

 that these insects are not eaten by birds. This 

 is mentioned by the Eev. G. J. Wood. There 

 is an ichneumon fly that lays its egg on the 

 body of a live caterpillar, and when it hatches 

 it certainly eats him to death. It is to be 

 hoped the unfortunate caterpillar does not 

 know the fate that awaits him. He is much in 



