i 4 8 ANNALS OF BIRD LIFE. 



regulated by the supply of food. It is no use 

 putting a price on the head of the Sparrow it is 

 a cruel and debasing practice, and, at best, an un- 

 satisfactory one. Encourage the Hawks, and the 

 Sparrows would just as certainly decrease. There 

 is no need for their complete extermination, for 

 kept in proper bounds the House Sparrow is un- 

 doubtedly a staunch and valuable friend to the 

 farmer. If farmers are not intelligent enough to 

 look after their own interests, then the Legislature 

 must do so for them. The matter is of national 

 moment. The farmer must be taught to recognise 

 his friends, and the small game-preserving interest 

 must not be allowed to stand in the way of the 

 vitally important grain-growing industry. The 

 Hawks and other predaceous birds must live, and 

 the vast surplus Sparrow population must die ! 



The Sparrow is nothing near so destructive 

 in the garden as on the farm. It may have an 

 inordinate love for peas, currants, and goose- 

 berries, and in seed-time scratch up the beds, but 

 the damage is small, for the birds do not congre- 

 gate in any large numbers in such localities. 

 Sparrows are also rather destructive to flowers, 

 and often take delight in pulling to pieces 

 crocuses, pansies, dahlias, and other blooms. 

 They also do some damage to the blossoms of 

 fruit trees, but their depredations in this respect 

 are easily controlled and frustrated. 



But the Sparrow is not the only feeder on 

 grain. There are one or two more of our 



