185 



CHAPTEE XYI. 



THE WOOD-PIGEOIs" AND HOUSE-SPARKOW. 



The wood-pigeon and tile house-sparrow, two 

 birds differing in their habits as widely as pos- 

 sible, are the only two birds whose numbers 

 it would seem desirable to reduce. The first- 

 named bird is, except, we think, by one or two 

 witnesses, universally condemned; but several 

 find plenty to say in defence of the bold little 

 sparrow. 



Few people have any idea how enormously 

 the wood-pigeon has increased in numbers in 

 the last thirty years. Mr. Scott Skirving, a 

 gentleman who farms 800 acres of land in the 

 East Lothians, gives a great deal of informa- 

 tion about them, and his figures are quite 

 astounding. He tells the Committee: 'Forty 



