April 21, 1SG3. ] 



JOURNAL OF HORTICULTURE AND COTTAGE GARDENER. 



303 



Of Wagtails we have three species :— The Yellow Wagtail or 

 Woolwhite, a tender migratory bird, which is not very common, 

 and leaves us in autumn for a warmer clime ; the Grey Wag- 

 tail, which has some yellow in its plumage and is often confused 

 with the preceding, and which is more frequently met with, 

 and remains all the winter ; ss does the common or Pied Wag- 

 tail, whose black, white, and grey pied plumage is well known, 

 as well as its common names of Paddy Wash Dish, Dishwasher, 

 or Water Wagtail. Ali these birds run on the ground — they do 

 not hop. They are insect-feeding. Their legs are long, and the 

 feet ill-adapted for perching. The tertiary feathers are long, 

 forming a covering for the wings, in which respect they slightly 

 resemble the Waders. The gradations of variation from the 

 Skylark, through the Pipits, down to the common Pied Wagtail, 

 are very gradual. 



The "Skylark is a very "useful bird in the destruction of insects 

 of many sorts. Wireworms are largely consumed by him, and 

 he prefers the open fields, where tree-perching birds are less 

 frequent. When hard pressed in cold weather he will eat a few 

 small seeds and even oats when he can find them, if insect- 

 food is scarce; but as his bill is not, formed for seed-shelling, 

 it is a great labour for him to extract the kernel from the husk, 

 which feat he performs by pinching the oat at the base and 

 beating it on the ground till he knocks it out. He will also eat 

 a few blades of grass or leaves of clover : and hence some farmers 

 foolishly blame the birds, never considering the great good they 

 do in the destruction of insects that would damage an immense 

 proportion of the crops, while the injury done by Larks is in reality 

 a mere trifle. The Woodlark is more'a bird'of the waste and 

 wild parts, though it often comes on the arable land. In food 

 he is even more etrictly insectivorous. His song is considered 

 the most plaintive, wild, and flute-like of all birds, and by the 

 fancier is even preferred to the merry carol of the Skylark. 



Pipits are also useful birds, frequenting the commons, downs, 

 meadows, and fields, and feeding on insects all the year round. 

 The Tree Pipit or Titlark, however, prefers enclosed fields where 

 trees or high hedges are handy, from which they collect cater- 

 pillars to feed their young on, and from which they spring into 

 the air, rising almost perpendicularly to some height, when, 

 stretching out their wings, they again descend, s'mging as they 

 come down. Their song is appreciated by bird-faneiers, though 

 I am not aware that they regard that of the other Pipits. 



Wagtails are rarely kept in cages. They may be said to feed 

 everywhere ; but seem to prefer short pastures, where they play 

 round the grazing cattle, catching the flies and insects disturbed 

 by them, or along the margins of streams, where they catch the 

 gnats and other insects which there abound. No fault can be 

 found with these merry active birds that take neither grain nor 

 fruit, and they should be always protected and encouraged. 

 No wanton nest-destroying should ever be allowed by those who 

 cultivate the soil. Birds are sent each in their respective place 

 to keep in cheek insects that would otherwise entirely demolish 

 all crops. What would then be our condition ? 



I am much in hope that the time is not far distant when this 

 subject will receive the attention it deserves. At present insects 

 are far too numerous, and often are complaints made of their 

 ravages, and the failure of crops through their agency ; and little is 

 said of the thinning of many crops by agents which are, perhaps, 

 often not even suspected, because they work under ground or 

 unnoticed. 



Birds are man's great allies, sent to feed on these his foes ; and 

 I feel that they have but small credit for their services, which are 

 very great— quite incalculable, while if they do a trifling injury, 

 or cause some annoyance, they receive an exaggerated amount of 

 blame. Yes, even when seen looking for some insects they are 

 not unfrequently blamed for the damage done by the very insect 

 they are in search of. Being accessories after the act, or in 

 suspicious proximity, is often sufficient condemnation. I must, 

 therefore, use my pen in pleading the cause of the birds — not 

 that I would deprive the schoolboy of his bird-nesting, or 

 check the young naturalist in the bud. I see but little cruelty 

 in taking the eggs from the nest while yet fresh laid if any use 

 can be made of them ; such, for instance, as a collection where 

 care is taken of them, and only a few of each species are required, 

 or it may be a poor child may take the fresh eggs to boil or to 

 make custards of, or put in a cake or pudding. In such cases I 

 flee no more cruelty in the act than that of using the eggs of 

 domestic poultry. But when boys, or even men, ruthlessly destroy 

 every nest they find, whether hardset or containing young, then 

 I consider it a wanton cruelty that should be cheeked in every 



way. Or if an epicure likes Larks or Wheatears, or such small 

 fry, I am not one of those who would object to his eating them 

 in" moderation. I see no wrong in a person killing a pair of each 

 sort to form a stuffed collection, or catching them to keep a 

 living one, to enjoy their song, or watch their habits. I believe 

 that all things are given for man's use ; and if boys like to catch 

 Sparrows to convert into a pudding, I would not say them nay. 

 But wholesale destruction of birds for the mere sake of killing, 

 vindictive poisoning, and indiscriminate nesting, I think shows 

 a cruel and ignorant mind which calls for reprobation. 



Few birds, even those thought to he destructive, do a tithe of 

 the injury laid to their charge ; for an ignorant person, annoyed 

 at some trifling loss which a little forethought might have saved, 

 often, I fear, retaliates on the birds for his own neglect. Such 

 an one will use poison or advocate indiscriminate bird-murder, 

 and he assuredly will cause greater loss another season to him- 

 self and neighbours by the rapid increase of insects. These 

 proceedings are what I wish to deprecate, and I fear they are 

 too common. To say the least of it, such a course is " penny 

 wise and pound foolish." It is here I must apply to the preju- 

 diced. If thev could but perceive the loss they bring on them- 

 selves, and perceive the cause and effect, the breeches-pocket 

 account would be the most convincing argument. — B. P. Bbest. 



BEE-FEEDING. - 

 Is "As- Atbshebe Bee-eeeeer " right in hinting that our 

 friends on the north side of the Tweed are so addicted to the use 

 of the bottle that they begrudge it to their bees ? Never having 

 crossed that famous stream, I cannot myself determine the 

 question; but this I can say, after a most thorough trial of the 

 bottle, it is the best bee-feeder ever contrived. During the last 

 three bad seasons I must have administered upwards of a ton of 

 food by its means without the slightest accident, or the least in- 

 convenience. Recent observation in a friend's apiary leads me, 

 however, to advise that in all cases where a wide-mouthed bottle 

 is used, a piece of perforated zmc should be interposed ; as if this 

 be omitted, and the top of the hive be not perfectly level, the 

 food is apt to run out.— A Detosshibe Bee-keepee. 



ilOETALITT OE HIVES. 



As in the communities of men so in the communities of beefl> 

 the influences which affect their welfare, either for good or evili 

 often date long prior to the results which flow from them. The 

 year*LS62 was notoriously the most adverse for bees which has 

 been experienced for a long period back, while the two preced- 

 ing years were scarcely much better. A series of unpropitious 

 seasons thus following "each other in close succession, the autumn 

 of 1S62 witnessed a state of matters lamentable to contemplate, 

 and which the experienced apiarian knew well would in due time 

 be productive of those dire evils and calamities which are now 

 bein" felt with such awful severity throughout the whole length 

 and breadth of the land. And what was the state or condition 

 of the great majority of hives at that season ? Why, they were 

 in every respect in the most unsatisfactory state possible. They 

 lacked what I consider to be the three great and essential requi- 

 sites which constitute a thoroughly good colony— namely, suffi- 

 ciency of bees, sufficiency of food, and a perfectly and permanently 

 prolific queen. The consequences are that from one or other of 

 these causes the mortality of hives this spring is immense. 

 Whole apiaries, in many cases, have become completely extmct, 

 while here and there in every bee-keeper's garden may be seen 

 the sad evidences of disaster* and ruin; and such has been the 

 unfavourable nature of this season up to the period I write 

 (10th April), that unless good weather set in without delay, a 

 third of those which still survive will droop away and die, or 

 become eventually good for nothing. One of your correspon- 

 dents prophesies in No. 106, that "we shaU have a fine 

 summer for honey if only we have a dry and cold six weeks 

 before us." All I can say in regard to this prophecy is that if 

 the fine honey season in prospect cannot be had without the 

 preliminary six weeks of cold, I fear we shall have few bees to 

 enjoy ir, and that the opening flowers of the looked-for summer 

 will "be doomed, so far as the bees are concerned, 

 " To .blush unseen, 

 And waste their sweetness in the desert air." 



But let us hope for better things. A speedy change of weather 



