74 



BIRD NOTES AND NEWS. 



On the whole — carefully balancing the evidence 

 on both sides — there could be very little doubt 

 indeed, said Mr. Slater, that the class of birds are 

 very much more of a friend than a foe to agricul- 

 turist and horticulturist, seeing that they do an 

 immense amount of work which it is to man's 

 interest should be done, and which he could only 

 do for himself with a great deal of trouble and 

 expense (in insecticides and machinery for their 

 use) or which he is absolutely incapable of doing 

 for himself (as in the destruction of the more 

 minute insects and the seeds of weeds). Of the 

 250 species of birds resident in or regular migrants 

 to this country about 80 are to be seen on agricul- 

 tural land for a considerable portion of the year. 

 Of these 30 belong to the slender-billed warblers 

 or their allies, feeding exclusively on insect food, 

 and therefore entirely beneficial. Among these he 

 classed pipits, wagtails, flycatchers, swallows and 

 swifts ; and with them may also be grouped the 

 cuckoo, water-hen, coot, corncrake and lapwing, 

 feeding exclusively on molluscs, worms, and insects. 

 Of the 45 species remaining, a proportion, such as 

 heron, kingfisher, snipe, ducks, woodpeckers, and 

 partridges, so far as they affect the land at all are 

 certainly harmless and may be of use. And to 

 them he was not sure whether he might not add 

 the thrush family, which feed largely upon snails 

 and insects without injury in any way to the 

 interests of the farm. There remained to be con- 

 sidered the birds of prey, tits, skylark, buntings, 

 finches, starlings, pigeons, and crows. 



Briefly, Mr. Slater's report on these birds was as 

 follows : — 



Sparrowhawk. — Certainly not injurious but 

 mildly beneficial. Kills a good many sparrows. 



Kestrel. — One of the very best friends the 

 farmer has, and from every point of view ought to 

 be carefully preserved ; touches nothing else when 

 it can get mice. 



Owls. — Any farmer shooting either owl or 

 kestrel is a monster of ingratitude. The owl takes 

 up the kestrel's work when the other goes off duty 

 at night, and it is impossible to say how voles and 

 mice could be kept down but for the kestrel, owls, 

 and weasel. Feed on mice, with occasional 

 shrews, small birds, and rats. 



Tits.— I do not think that any of the titmice do 

 any harm whatever on the farm ; to the orchard 

 the great and blue tits certainly do a little, but far 

 more than repay the damage they do, as they are 

 very useful in helping to keep down the pernicious 

 winter and codlin moths, the apple weevil, and the 

 aphides, by devouring them in all their stages. 

 Marsh, coal, and long-tailed tits feed upon insects, 

 destroy no fruit, and should be carefully preserved. 



Skylark.— Occasionally injurious in the winter 

 months. In severe winters undoubtedly injures 



green crops ; but the balance of utility to man is 

 largely in the bird's favour. 



Buntings.— The Corn-Bunting feeds chiefly on 

 insects and small seeds, in autumn largely on 

 grain, frequenting stubble and stackyard, but not 

 numerous enough to do much harm. The Yellow- 

 hammer is of similar habits, and commonly fre- 

 quents stackyards in winter, but is not seen to pull 

 straws as sparrows do. 



Chaffinch.— I have no doubt whatever that 

 the balance of utility is very much in its favour, 

 and, if so, we ought not to grudge its wages. But 

 its delinquencies are so open and apparent that 

 they may outweigh in popular estimation the 

 good it does. Injurious for only six weeks or two 

 months ; feeds on weed-seeds all the year round, 

 especially groundsel and chickweed. 



Goldfinch. — The great object of that pest, the 

 birdcatcher, who flourishes in spite of the solemn 

 but singularly ineffective thunder of the County 

 Councils. Staple food, weed-seeds. 



Linnet. — I cannot ascertain that this bird does 

 the very least harm. Feeds on seeds, especially 

 charlock and knot-grass. Also much persecuted 

 by the birdcatchers. 



Tree Sparrow.— Harmless. 



House Sparrow. — Originally, no doubt, "a 

 feeder on wild seeds ; has now attached itself to 

 man, influenced by his untidiness and wastefulness, 

 until it has become about the worst of all his 

 pests. Multiplication must be stopped by a careful 

 watching of the nests. If, however, a sparrow 

 club be started, be sure and take care that other 

 birds' heads are not palmed off as hen sparrows ; 

 when another bird's head has once or twice been 

 counted in the reckoning up as " minus 5 " this 

 will stop. 



Greenfinch. — Only occasionally mischievous 

 in attacking newly-sown garden seeds ; and mis- 

 chief trifling on the whole. 



Hawfinch. — Rare and shy, with an extra- 

 ordinary fondness for green peas. Usual food, 

 hard seeds, especially hips and haws. 



Bullfinch. — A perfectly harmless and alto- 

 gether desirable neighbour, except in February 

 and March, when it does serious damage to goose- 

 berry and plum buds if not watched. A little 

 stone-throwing or catapulting is quite enough to 

 drive it away, and shooting entirely unnecessary. 



Starling. — Normally one of the most useful 

 birds we have ; possibly increasing beyond the 

 normal, but I cannot point to any tangible damage 

 which over-population is driving it to commit. 

 Very fond of cherries. 



Jackdaw. — Beneficial on the whole to agri- 

 culture, but an atrocious egg-stealer. 



Magpie. — Decidedly to be encouraged, as a 

 feeder on slugs, worms, etc., and a check on the 

 increase of woodpigeon and blackbird. Jay also 

 to be preserved as eating the woodpigeon's eggs. 



Rook. — A most useful friend if not allowed to 

 increase abnormally. Does yeoman service by the 

 destruction of injurious insects and larvae. 



