GENERAL PREFACE ix 



are being taken, to educate people on this 

 question. The public are, I believe, be- 

 ginning at last to really understand and 

 appreciate the usefulness and the beauty 

 of the birds, resident and migratory, which 

 delight us by their songs and plumage. 

 Many landowners now issue strict orders 

 to their keepers and woodmen to prevent 

 the nests of wild birds being despoiled, 

 and forbid the ruthless destruction of the 

 birds themselves. 



Of course I am bound to admit that 

 the over-abundance of any grain or fruit 

 devouring species is certainly not a good 

 thing ; but I trust that the farmers and 

 rural population generally will see that, as 

 a matter of fact, nearly all our smaller 

 wild birds deserve protection by reason of 

 the vast numbers of insects and grubs 

 upon which they feed, thereby helping 

 largely to preserve grain crops, fruit and 

 vegetables. 



This also applies to some of those species 



