1170 The Zoologist— April, 18GR. 



hedges there was scarcely a perfect ear, and they made sad inroads 

 into the whole abundant crop. All the other birds helped them, 

 especially the Conirostres. Whether the starlings lent their aid 1 

 could not ascertain. An advocate for a cheap loaf, as the basis of 

 national prosperity, 1 felt irritated at the lack of zeal in securing the 

 golden crown of the year, the goodness given by God. Much of the 

 mischief dune by the birds this summer may fairly be attributed to the - 

 farmers. In the debtor and creditor account of the sparrow there is a 

 good balance in its favour. Working my way home in the August 

 evenings, across the fields away from the public paths, I frequently met 

 with small family parties of swallows making straight for the river. This 

 was unusually early, but the young having been reared with difficulty 

 in the scarcity of food, the sooner they left the better. 



September 21. Swallows and martins congregating on the house- 

 tops. Numbers of swallows about King John's Ellham palace; most 

 of the old had lost their forks, and the young had not yet got them : 

 thus at a distance they are easily mistaken for martins ; the glass shows 

 what they are. 



September 30. A large flock of swallows with a few martins resting 

 in the large cow pasture of Kidbrooke farm : a few began to hawk, 

 then up rose the whole lot and disappeared. Crossing a field near 

 Eltham about a dozen swallows shot right over my head in a straight 

 line due south. I never saw swallows fly so swiftly; they were out of 

 sight in a moment. For the last ten days great numbers of the north 

 country swallows have been going south. They linger about the 

 farm-yards for food, and then off again on their long journey. My 

 old friend Dr. Hodgkin, the great anatomist, and the friend of the 

 human race of every colour in every clime, once observed to me that 

 for their preservation God had given the birds a faculty we do not 

 possess. Reflecting on these evidences of unerring wisdom I exclaim 

 " All thy works praise thee." 



October 21. Admiring the gorgeous masses of foliage in Eltham 

 Park beautifully variegated with all the rich tints of autumn, I 

 observed a dozen house martins hawking to the southward : these were 

 the last I saw. 



Let me recommend the readers of the ' Zoologist' to lay aside their 

 cruel fatal guns, and take to the pocket telescope : they will see more 

 birds, become better acquainted with their forms and flight, and all 

 the detail of their varying plumage ; will note with pleasure their 

 peculiar manners and customs as they flit about their happy homes; 



