CHURCHWARDENS' ACCOUNTS OF BEDFORDSHIRE. 255 



1777. £ s. d. 



To Sundries for Sparrows 6 



Do. 10 4 



1780. 



To Sundry persons for Sparrows 12 6 



1786. 

 To Sundries for Sparrows and a Thanksgiving 17 5 



1797. 

 To a Bill from Branson for Sparrows, and that should 



have been brought by Eames into Jno. Anstie's Year 7 9 



1798. 

 To a bill brought by Branson the other Church Warden for 



a Visitation and Sparrows 12 11 



1807. 



79 Doz. Sparrows at 3d. per doz. young ones 19 9 



75 Doz. do. 6d. old ones 1 17 6 



1817. 

 Sparrows, young ones 4d. doz., old ones 6d. doz 5 8 3£ 



1819. 

 Mr. Fossey for Sparrows. 



Young Sparrows, 3d. per doz ) . q . 



Old do. 6d. , ( & & Ao - 



1821. 

 For year ending Easter. 



126 doz. and 5, old Sparrow heads at 6d. per doz 3 3 2^ 



61 doz. of young do. at 5 per doz 15 3* 



10 heads do 2£ 



1830. 

 296 Dozen Sparrows at 3d 3 14 



1832. 

 14 Hedge hogs 2 



Payments date back to 1714, and continue, with certain blank 

 years, until 1836. Polecats and Hedgehogs appear commonly 

 in the earlier years, but, with the exception of the latter in 1832, 

 neither are particularized after 1768. The term "vermin" is 

 frequently used in the earlier years, and until 1774. After that 

 date Sparrows seemed to have received undivided attention 

 for destruction. Payments for the latter varied considerably — 

 from 2d. per dozen in 1715, to as much as 6d. per dozen in 

 1807 (young at 3d.) ; and, after several fluctuations, reappear in 

 the last year (1836) again at 2d. per dozen, the former price. 



Knotting. 

 Payments for the destruction of Sparrows only. These are 

 spread over the years 1838 to 1856, with the omission of four 



