196 SMALL ANIMALS AND INSECTS. [CnAr. IL 



two feet wide, and one foot higli, and padded the top inside the lids of the 

 ca<»es, to protect their lieads. 



" These birds were kept on deck the wliole of the voyage, with a painted 

 canvas cover to protect them from the salt water in bad weather. Ileace 

 my success. Tiio increase of my birds has amounted to tens of thousands. 

 In the northern part of jS'ew ZuaUind they breed twice a year, and they have 

 stocked the province of Auckland, 200 miles distant from the point where 

 they were first sent adrift, wliich was upon one of my estates, near the Nortli 

 Cape of New Zealand. In the early ]iart of 1859 I sent out 400 house and 

 hedge sparrows and yellow-hammers to Auckland ; and I hope in September 

 to send out 400 singing birds to the same port gratuitously. Birds should 

 not be sent out between March and September; those sent in April or May 

 are sure to pino away and die, it being their pairing season." 



By pursuing the course adopted by Mr. Brodlc, wc might have some of 

 the most rare birds of California brought to the Atlantic States, with un- 

 doubted profit to the importer. 



239. Laws for the Protoctlou of Birds.— The State of Xew York has liad 

 what is called a "game law" for a good many years; but it was a law for 

 the protection of a class of men and boys who, without any claim to the 

 title, called themselves "sportsmen" — such sportsmen as would shoot a 

 robin-red-breast on her nest, or an imported skylark in the midst of his song. 

 The law was only incidentally beneficial to farmers, so far as it protected 

 game birds, tlie most of which are great insect-eaters. There is not a farmer 

 in all tlie old States that can afford to have a quail killed upon his farm, if 

 he was paid a dollar a head. Tliis species of wild bird would be semi- 

 domesticated, if man would allow it to be so. We have seen them so gentle 

 tliat they often cane around the barn for food in winter, and only walked 

 slowly away at the approach of man. At such a time we would not kill one 

 for ten times its value as food. All the past summer we had the deliglit of 

 knowing that a pair of these beautiful birds were safely rearing their young 

 only a few rods from our home. Often, as we walked about the little farm, 

 they were seen dodging along some path, or between the corn-rows, or into 

 the shelter of the grass or shrubbery. Then, with what sweet satisfaction 

 we listened to " Bob "White," sitting upon the wall, telling us almost imer- 

 ringly of the approach of "more wet!"' 



An Blinois farmer declares that a flock of quails made him a crop of corn, 

 having voluntarily taken upon themselves to rid the field of cut-worms. " I 

 never," says he, " can again consent to the destruction of these valuable 

 birds. I used to shoot and traj) them, but I was ignorant of their value on 

 the farm. 



A neighbor of ours, a true sportsman, said to us, the other day: "I have 

 done shooting quails. I used to think it real sport to wing these beautiful 

 birds ; and the temptation to do so was enhanced by the delicious food they 

 aflford. I really think that I never shall shoot another quail in my life." 



In answer to our " Why ?" he said : 



