170 THE SHELDRAKE 



would be readily recognised but for the mess he makes 

 on the surface. When a mole runs under a drill of 

 newly thinned turnips, turning all the young plants 

 out to perish, the farmer is not unnaturally exasperated, 

 and will not listen to the excuse that the mole does 

 not go there after young turnips, but after larvae which 

 would put the turnips to a more lingering death. 



Again, the mole disfigures pasture-land by casting 

 up the subsoil. In doing so he is actually performing 

 good service, for the pulverised soil would make the 

 best top-dressing for the grass if the farmer would 

 spend in spreading the mole-casts the money he pays 

 to the mole-catcher. And note, that the injury done 

 to grass-land by leather-grubs is just as extensive and 

 serious as it is to corn crops, though not so immediately 

 perceptible. Whatever excuse, therefore, may be made 

 for killing down moles on arable land, there is none 

 whatever for doing so where grass is the main crop. 



XLI 

 The following comes from a correspondent : 



Can nothing be done to put a stop to the slaughter 



The of your sheldrakes] There are at present (7th 



Sheldrake August) in the estuary of the Urr (in Solway 



Firth) two yachts from Barrow with people on board who are 



spending their time shooting these unfortunate birds, many 



of which are not even able to fly, and those that are on the 



wing are only able to take short flights. Would it be 



possible for the County Councils to deal with this matter 1 ' 



Of course it would. It is unfortunate, but not sur- 

 prising, that the successive Acts passed from 1880 



