BIRDS, 



115 



terrestrial insects. The toad being less active than the frog, and being capable 

 of living a longer period without food, is better adapted for being shut up 

 in frames, or kept in stoves. Both prefer a damp and shady situation ; and 

 where they are intended to breed, they should have access to a shallow pond, 

 or shady ditch. The ova of the frog is deposited in clusters in ditches and 

 shallow ponds, about the middle of March ; and the young, or tadpoles, are 

 hatched a month or five weeks afterwards, according to the season : by the 

 1 8th of June they are nearly full-sized, and begin to acquire their fore 

 feet ; towards the end of that month, or the beginning of the next, the 

 young frogs come on land, but the tail is still preserved for a short time 

 afterwards. The common toad is a few days later in spawning than the 

 frog. Its ova are deposited in long necklace-like chains in shallow water 

 in shady ponds or ditches. There is one species, B. Calamita Laurent, the 

 Natter-Jack, which inhabits dry localities, and is a much more active 

 animal than the toad, but much less common. 



363. The common Eft, Z/acerta palustris Z>., and L. aquaticus Z,., are 

 occasionally met with hi gardens hi damp situations ; and they live upon 

 aquatic insects, snails, worms, &c. ; but nevertheless, from their disagree- 

 able appearance, we cannot recommend their introduction. On the contrary, 

 we think they ought to be destroyed either by art, or by their natural 

 enemies, such as the turkey, weazel, &c. The ova are deposited on aquatic 

 plants about the same time as those of the toad. 



SECT. V. Birds, considered with reference to Horticulture. 



Birds are, upon the whole, much more beneficial than injurious to gar- 

 dens ; and being also larger animals and more familiar to every person living 

 in the country than insects, very little requires to be said respecting them. 

 We shall briefly notice the commonest English birds of the different orders ; 

 taking as our guide Jenyns' Manual of British Vertebrate Animals. 



364. Raptores (Seizers). Birds with feet formed for grasping : food, en- 

 tirely animal substances. This order includes the eagle (ylquilaZ,.) and fal- 

 con (Falco Z/.), which may be considered injurious to gardens by scaring away 

 other birds which are useful. It also includes the sparrow-hawk (^ccipiter 

 /ringillarius Will.), which preys upon the smaller birds and quadrupeds, 

 and also on amphibite ; on which account it may be considered as partly in- 

 jurious and partly useful. This may also be said of the kite (Jfilvus 

 Zctinus Sav.) The kestril, or wind-hover hawk (Falco Tinnunculus L.) is 

 peculiarly valuable for killing beetles, and it also destroys slugs and snails. 

 It is peculiarly fit for a garden, because cats dare not venture to attack it. 

 The white owl, or barn-owl (/Strix flammea Z/.), with tawny yellow 

 plumage, white underneath, is one of the most valuable birds of this order, 

 because it feeds principally upon mice, snails, and slugs, and occasionally 

 devours other small animals, such as rats, and sometimes, but rarely, fish. 

 It is common in every part of the kingdom ; it comes abroad about sunset, 

 and collects its food during the night. It may be known from the tawny 

 owl or wood-owl by screaming in its flight, but never hooting like that 

 species. " If this useful bird caught its food by day," Mr. Waterton 

 observes, " instead of hunting for it by night, mankind would have ocular 

 demonstration of its utility in thinning the country of mice, and it would 

 be protected and encouraged everywhere. It would be with us what the 



