Utility and Economy of Birds 



and from the farmer's point of view. So 

 far from authorising the destruction of birds 

 in wartime, the authorities should have 

 given them the benefit of extra protection. 

 Thousands of acres of common and other 

 open land, where LARKS and many other in- 

 sectivorous birds were wont to live, were 

 turned into camps and parade-grounds only 

 to be trodden down by men and horses. 

 Thousands of acres of wood and coppice were 

 felled throughout the country in the attempt 

 to meet the demand for timber. These re- 

 sults of the war have had a far-reaching effect 

 on our bird population. A French ornitholo- 

 gist has stated that France, when the Germans 

 have ceased to harry the land, will have 

 pressing need of all her bird-life to fight the 

 insect invaders and ravagers of her fields ; 

 in our own country the need is the same, 

 though less tragically important (Bird Notes 

 and News, vol. vi. p. 92). 



Perhaps the greatest outburst against birds 

 in general was early in 1917, when it was 

 urged that " shoot the birds " should be the 

 clarion cry (Daily Mail, 4 ,i .17). The f orma- 



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