THE COUNTRY HOME [CHAPTER 
gested, that is, of shutting up my cats during the 
whole of the bird-nesting season, I am not only mul- 
tiplying the more common birds, but am winning 
to me the grosbeaks, indigo birds, scarlet tanagers, 
wood thrushes, song sparrows, and others that 
rarely draw near our houses; and all these, domes- 
ticating themselves about my house, my berry 
fields and my barns, are making of them a sort of 
Garden of Eden. At the same time I am reaping 
a benefit in all ways quite equal to that given to the 
birds. Joining our forces, we are able to absolutely 
exclude the English sparrow. He has given up all 
attempts to cross our boundary line. 
In some of the French villages boards are set up 
with the following inscriptions: 
“ Hedgehog: Lives upon mice, snails, and wire- 
worms — animals injurious to vegetation. Don’t 
kill a hedgehog. 
“Toad: Helps agriculture; destroys twenty to 
thirty insects hourly. Don’t kill a toad. 
“Cockchafer and its Larve: Deadly enemies to 
the farmers; lays seventy to one hundred eggs. 
Kill the cockchafer. 
“ Birds: Each Department of France loses yearly 
[ 308 ] 
