extent, that it appears equally improbable that the eggs could 

 be gathered in any quantities to do any damage to the species 

 which could be observed. 



The letter in The Field of the 15th August, headed "The 

 Little Bird," is of great interest, could we understand the sub- 

 ject of it thoroughly ; but on reading it attentively many things 

 appear which require more knowledge to understand than many 

 of us possess, or, at first sight, even think of. There are some 

 statements which seem hardly what we might have expected ; 

 for instance, the observations about the Hoopoe, which you have 

 already noticed. Are we to suppose that it kills birds ? and, if 

 it does, in what manner ? and, if not, how does it get them to 

 feed on ? 



It seems pretty clear from it that none of the Owls enumerated 

 arc game destroyers, and, perhaps, in consequence of nothing 

 having beea said against them, and so much said in their favour, 

 they may be less persecuted in future. It also seems clear that 

 the Jay and Magpie are not worse than the Rook, and therefore 

 if the former birds are to be destroyed, why not destroy the latter 

 also ? It should not be forgotten that, although birds are de- 

 vourers of insects, they not only take those which feed on vege- 

 tables, but they also destroy numbers of insects which are insect 

 feeders themselves, and which are perhaps as great benefactors 

 to man as the birds which feed on them are. Dragonflies and 

 Ichneumons feed on insects ; and even the Wasp seems to feed 

 on Aphides, the larva of the Ichneumons, to such a supposed 

 extent as in some years to render the perfect insect of some of 

 the butterflies very scarce. The grub state of the Ladybird 

 Beetle feeds on Aphides, and although when observed, as it is 

 generally taken for a Caterpillar on the roses and other plants, 

 and killed in consequence, it is really there looking for its food. 

 This may be seen by taking one in your hand, and placing some 

 Aphides near it ; you may see it thrust its head into an Aphis, 

 aud suck it away till nothing remains but its skin. 



Do not birds generally move about much more than is supposed? 

 I have known many instances of the Kingfisher appearing in 

 autumn at bum sides, where they certainly were not bred, or had 



