Birds. 2417 



beautiful arrangement of the whole, — for man's interest is so varied that there is a 

 danger of the entire plan being deranged, and many of our most interesting species 

 being entirely destroyed ; for what by ignorance, superstition and self-interest, there 

 seems imminent danger: we find some destroy every magpie, jay, crow, and even 

 starling, because they tell us they are egg-suckers ; others because they are beautiful, 

 while some are destroyed because they are unsightly ; some because they are rare, 

 others because they are too plentiful ; some because they eat what man can eat, some 

 because he eats them, and others because they eat him : this may startle some ; but 

 one day I went into the garden, where the gardener was using his spade the same 

 way as a mason's labourer mixes his lime, and when asked what he was doing his 

 reply was, " Well, sir, it maks ane's very bluid run cau'd to think ane's to be wurri'd 

 wi' them varmins after ane's dead : " thus was he engaged destroying worms to the 

 same extent, if not by the same means, as some matter-of-fact men would sparrows : 

 thus it is that the balance of nature is destroyed when the Creator's laws are inter- 

 fered with ; and in a little time, if the destroying principle be carried out, from one 

 cause or other every species may be destroyed, and not one left to sing the death- 

 dirge of the other. What can be the reason of the onslaught, mentioned in the 

 'Zoologist,' against the poor harmless inoffending blindworms ? They do not eat 

 man's food, neither do they sting : I have handled them repeatedly, and a person in 

 my employ once brought me two in his bosom ; yet this and almost every other rep- 

 tile is destroyed with a wantonness that ill becomes man's boasted intelligence. It 

 brings to my mind a circumstance that occurred when once passing through a 

 harvest-field : a beautiful large dragon-fly made its appearance in the field, when an 

 Amazonian wench, with her stentorian lungs, called out " Nancy, stop the luggs, there's 

 a stinging ethger ; " and, suiting the action to her words, down went her sickle and 

 both hands to her ears, which example was followed by the others ; but the male 

 gender present commenced a vigorous pursuit, and up went hats, caps, or any other 

 missile that was at hand, — but, thanks to his wings and Argus eyes for seeing what 

 was to do, he soon distanced his pursuers. My answer to Mr. Briggs's inquiry is, 

 that there seems to be a difference — where he resides — from here, in birds as well as 

 men and boys ; for with us both oats and barley are bound in sheaves, — and boys, by 

 a little after they are breeched, know the difference between a house sparrow and 

 what they call a ' dickey-dikey : ' and I can assure him that sparrows, as well as some 

 other birds, do burrow in hay and clover-stacks, as well as corn. Having been 

 dubbed counsellor by Mr. Peacock, perhaps that gentleman will take a counsellor's 

 advice (it shall be without fee), and try shooting at sparrows with powder only when 

 they are destroying his crops. — Joseph Duff; Bishops Auckland, March 9, 1849. 



P.S. — Since writing the above I have read the first article in that highly inte- 

 resting and useful publication, ' Chambers' Edinburgh Journal,' for February, 1849, 

 and, being forcibly struck with the sentiments contained in it, I could not resist the 

 desire of calling the attention of the readers of the ' Zoologist' to it. — /. Duff. 



Granivorous propensity of the Sparrow. — I have read with much interest the va- 

 rious papers relative to the predatory habits of the sparrow, in the ' Zoologist.' From 

 the evidence in them adduced on both sides of the question, I think we must be led 

 to the conclusion that the food of the defendant, certainly in some — perhaps indeed 

 in a great — measure, consists of the property of the farmer. In taking up the defence 

 of the sparrows (probably I shall be thought considerably impudent in attempting to 

 mend upon those so ably offered before), I would admit not only this, but (if required) 



