THE WAE WITH NATURE 77 



fact, for it is waterless, with a sterile gravelly soil 

 that only produces a thorny vegetation of dwarf 

 trees. It serves, however, as a breeding-place for 

 myriads of winged creatures ; and never a season 

 passes but it sends down its hungry legions of one 

 kind or another into the valley. During my stay 

 pigeons, ducks, and geese were the greatest foes 

 of the farmer. When the sowing season com- 

 menced the pigeons (Columba maculosa) came in 

 myriads to devour the grain, which is here sown 

 broadcast. Shooting and poisoning them was 

 practised on some farms, while on others dogs 

 were trained to hunt the birds from the ground; 

 but notwithstanding all these measures, hajf the 

 seed committed to the earth was devoured. When 

 the corn was fully ripe and ready to be harvested 

 then came the brown duck Dafila spinacauda 

 in millions to feast on the grain. Early in winter 

 the arrival of the migratory upland geese Chloe- 

 phaga magellanica was dreaded. It is scarcely 

 possible to keep them from the fields when the 

 wheat is young or just beginning to sprout; and 

 I have frequently seen flocks of these birds quietly 

 feeding under the very shadow of the fluttering 

 scarecrows set up to frighten them. They do 

 even greater injury to the pasture-lands, where 

 they are often so numerous as to denude the earth 

 of the tender young clover, thus depriving the 

 sheep of their only food. On some estates 

 mounted boys were kept scouring the plains, and 

 driving up the flocks with loud shouts; but their 



