Birds as Crop Protectors 



of wild birds are beneficial to man, that the 

 insect-eating and vermin-eating species in 

 particular are invaluable to him in field and 

 garden, and that the destruction of birds and 

 eggs, even of those species deemed to be in- 

 jurious, should not be permitted, since useful 

 ones inevitably suffered also (Times, 24 . iv . 18). 

 In April 1918 came the startling news that 

 large numbers of MAGPIES, believed to have 

 been driven across the Channel by the 

 fighting in France, had invaded Romney 

 Marsh in Kent and were attacking and killing 

 breeding ewes (Globe, io.iv.i8) a statement, 

 I venture to think, which must be taken 

 cum grano salis. 



In June 1918 the prophecy as to cater- 

 pillars, made earlier in the year, was fulfilled. 

 The plague was widespread, but was par- 

 ticularly severe in the south and east of 

 England and in Derbyshire and Westmor- 

 land, where the caterpillars of the Antler- 

 moth were rampant. Even houses were said 

 to be invaded, and it was suggested that 

 " POULTRY should be turned loose in quan- 

 tities to consume this valuable food/ 1 In his 



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