302 BIRDS IN TOWN AND VILLAGE 



glum silence. Finally the young man, carried 

 away by his enthusiasm, stopped and turning to 

 his companion shouted, "Listen! Listen I Do 

 you hear the larks?" 



"Oh, yes," drawled the other, looking more 

 glum than ever, "I hear them fast enough. And 

 I wish they were all dead !" 



So with the other charming species. The moan 

 of doves in immemorial elms is a pleasing sound 

 to the poets, but it does not prevent the farmers 

 throughout the land from wishing them all dead; 

 and every person who possesses a gun is glad to 

 help in their massacre. For the bird is a pest and 

 he who shoots it is doing something for England; 

 furthermore, shooting it is first-rate sport, not like 

 slaughtering wretched little sparrows or innocent 

 young rooks just out of their windy cradles. And 

 when shot it is a good table-bird, with as much 

 tasty flesh on it as a woodcock or partridge. 



How, then can we account for the increase of 

 such a species? One cause is undoubtedly to be 

 found in the removal by gamekeepers of its three 

 chief enemies — the carrion crow, magpie, and jay 

 — all these three being great devourers of 

 pigeon's eggs, which of all eggs are most con- 



