79 



Winter is the best time to carry on the war against sparrows, which 

 are as sly as they are insolent. They can easily be enticed to a spot 

 free from snow where food is scattered, and can be killed in large num- 

 bers by a shot, or caught in a large sweep net. Quantities of them 

 can be caught in barns, stables, and hen-houses, where they go for the 

 sake of the scattered food. 



There are many other ways of destroying these rascals; the most 

 effective is to set a price on them. At Seebach one penny is paid for 

 an old female house-sparrow, one-fifth or one-tenth of a penny for the 

 young or eggs. Nothing is paid for the old male, in order to increase 

 further his preponderance which already exists in Nature. His 

 destruction is not desired, as the numerical superiority of the male 

 over the female materially assists the extinction of the species. 



The weasel is the most harmful of vermin, and the sparrow-hawk 

 of the predatory birds, for he carries on his trade as robber with great 

 boldness and skill. 



The buzzard and the kestrel are quite harmless. The latter breeds 

 in the midst of the shelter-woods at Seebach, the former in a wood 

 which is full of nesting-boxes. 



The jay is particularly harmful because it is thoroughly conscientious 

 in searching every bush and tree for birds and their broods. 

 Unfortunately, the amusing squirrel does the same, and unfortunately 

 also, he likes to attack the larger nesting-boxes. In order to prevent 

 mistaken ideas, I think it advisable to refer once more to what was 

 said on pp. 77-78. Neither Baron von Bertepsch nor I desire to exter- 

 minate any animal ; but everybody must acknowledge that certain 

 creatures, such as squirrels and jays, can increase to such an extent 

 under favourable circumstances that they fully control a district, 

 and scarcely any singing bird can escape them. Man must interfere 

 and regulate matters. Unfortunately, the influence of civilization is so 

 strong, that Nature is not always able to right matters everywhere. 

 Therefore we must assert that, in order to restore the balance of Nature 

 destroyed by man, we must to a certain extent interfere with the life of 

 animals, always keeping within well-considered and moderate limits. 

 As the enemies of birds differ in various localities, in number and 

 species, and hence in importance, the hints given here can merely serve 

 as a guide, and everyone must be governed by the conditions existing 

 in his particular neighbourhood. 



