Es^XEODUCTIOjS". XIX 



broods are imperfectly fledged that they can do much harm. 

 But birds of prey are not an unmitigated evil ; they are a neces- 

 sary part of the great scheme of nature, and may be essential to 

 the perfectly healthy development of the birds they feed upon. 

 It is undoubtedly advantageous that the feebly organized and 

 sickly individuals should be weeded out, and this is done by 

 birds of prey. "We have of late years heard much about stamp- 

 ing out epidemics among mankind. It is a function of the Pere- 

 grine and its congeners to assist in stamping out epidemics among 

 game birds. 



''Vermin" not only eat birds, but also birds' eggs. Almost 

 all birds eat eggs; but where is the great harm? scarcely a brood 

 less is reared iu consequence. If one set of eggs be taken an- 

 other is supplied, and so on till a brood is hatched and reared. 

 K^ature provides a redundt^ncy of offspring to insure, so to speak, 

 the continuance of the species. Look at the tens of thousands 

 of acorns that are formed that one tree may be developed, the 

 rest supply food to various animals. Look again at the myriads 

 of pollen grains that are scattered in the breeze, and, as it were, 

 lost. The redundant fecundity of the cod fish gives abundant 

 food to thousands of small animals. Something of this sort 

 takes place with birds : nature has given to them the power of 

 producing eggs until a brood is reared in case the early layings 

 are taken for food ; in fact, the early nests are frequently deserted 

 voluntarily by the parent birds. And who can say that this 

 may not be wise economy ? "We see in all kiads of poultry ex- 

 treme examples of this fecundity ; the Hen goes on laying until 

 she is inclined and permitted to sit and rear her offspring. 



Some of the doings of the gamekeeper seem worthy of the atten- 

 tion of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The 

 use of strychnine is, I believe, prohibited by Act of Parliament : 

 it is nevertheless extensively used in the destruction of Crows, etc. 

 It is impossible to imagine a more cruel or dangerous practice. 

 Trapping of birds, and leaving them for days to flap themselves 

 to death are acts, to say the least of them, cruel in the extreme. 

 Is it not surprising that the magistrate, who permits his game- 

 keeper to perpetrate such barbarities, can gravely commit the poor 



