BIRDS OF PEASEMARSH 



down into those fields thousands and thou- 

 sands of Gulls, and the march of the devastat- 

 ing horde of crickets ceased. As they had de- 

 voured the crops the Gulls devoured them. 

 Later the monument was erected to commem- 

 orate the event and as a symbol of the protec- 

 tion which the people would give to the Gulls 

 that had saved them from starvation. 



There are many instances where during in- 

 sect plagues birds have come from all the 

 country round and saved the infested district. 

 If, however, the insect plague comes at the nest- 

 ing season the birds do not gather in flocks and 

 fly to distant places. The particular spot where 

 birds are nesting has the advantage. The birds 

 are always there. 



If one had watched in the orchard as well as 

 listened that June morning one would have 

 seen the Vesper Sparrow, the Song Sparrow 

 and all their cousins visiting the weed patches 

 and devouring seeds. Just at that time they 

 were eating dandelion seeds that would have 

 blown in the wind and spread over the lawn. 

 Later, as seeds ripen, they eat the seeds of more 

 injurious weeds. One would have seen also 

 that the Thrush, having finished his song in the 

 [17] 



