BIRDS. 473 



every wcok and the young birds are killed as soon as they 

 ai-e ready to Uy out, and aic put into the frying-pan. We 

 have soon as many as live or six dozen pots on the same 

 wall, nearly all lillod with nosls, for sparrows raise many 

 broods every year. 



In Italy the consumption of these birds is carried on, on a 

 large scale. Not only are the churches riddled with thous- 

 ands of holes, in which the sparrows make their nests, but 

 there are, at the road crossings, high square towers, which 

 are built for this purpose. An overseer has them locked ; 

 He climbs inside, and clips the wings of the young, to com- 

 pel them to stay till they are full grown. 



During the Franco-Italian war against Austria, the French 

 soldiers bought the young sparrows, which they found 

 delicious eating. If the sparrows destroy our bees, can we 

 not destroy them ? It is better to eat than to be eaten ! 



If — as in the olden time of fables — birds could be moved 

 by human language, it would be worth while to post up, in 

 the vicinity of our Apiaries, the old Greek poet's address to 

 the swallow : 



" Attic maiden, honey fed. 



Chirping warbler, bears't away 

 Thou the busy buzzing bee. 



To thy callow brood a prey ? 

 Warbler, thou a warbler seize ? 



Winged, one with lovely wings ? 

 Guest thyself, by Summer brought, 



Yellow guests whom Summer brings? 

 Wilt not quickly let it drop ? 



'Tis not fair; Indeed, 'tis wrong, 

 That the ceaseless warbler should 

 Die by mouth of ceaseless song. " 



819. No Apiarist ought ever to encourage the destruction 

 of any birds, except the too-plentiful sparrows, because of 

 their fondness for bees. Unless we can check the custom 

 pf destroying, on any pretense, our insectivorous birds, we 



