12 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE, 



Mr. Travers differed from Mr. Hudson ; the Cicxdce damaged the 

 introduced trees considerably, and often so much as to cause them to 

 die altogether. 



Mr. Richardson pointed out that numbers of sparrows were often 

 destroyed by strong gales of wind and rain. 



Mr. Kirk, in reply, said that most of the discussion was on points 

 which had not been raised in his paper ; indeed, lie had specially 

 mentioned that there was not yet to hand sufficient reliable evidence 

 on which to found an impartial judgment as to whether the sparrow 

 was more beneficial than hurtful to agriculture and horticulture. As, 

 however, the question had been introduced, he would state that when 

 he entered upon this investigation he was as staunch a supporter of the 

 sparrow as Mr. Travers or Sir Walter Buller. He was afraid, however, 

 that he should now have to modify liis Adews very much. There could 

 be no doubt that the sparrow ate many thousands of insects, and did a 

 vast amount of good. The point to be settled was, Did he exact more 

 grain, fruit, &c, in payment for those services than those services were 

 worth 1 He was intimately acquainted with M. Michelet's book, " The 

 Bird," referred to by Mr. Travers, but he must draw attention to the 

 fact that the author's remarks did not apply to New Zealand, where the 

 rate of increase of the sparrow was phenomenal. He was of course 

 awai-e that the large hawk mentioned did not feed on living birds, and 

 was therefore the more surprised that the sparrows should venture to 

 attack such a powerful opponent. Exception had been taken to his 

 calculations, and Mr. Travers stated that at the rate mentioned the air 

 would be " full of sparrows." He had already said that the calculation 

 whs based upon the assumption that no active agencies were employed 

 by man for the destruction of the sparrow; but we all knew that 

 poisoning on a large scale was indulged in. He was convinced that the 

 one-third of the annual increase was ample to allow for accidental and 

 natural deaths He might mention that the balance of evidence so far 

 was against the sparrow. Miss Ormerod, Consulting Entomologist to 

 the Royal Agricultural Society, a most ardent champion of the sparrow, 

 had investigated the question in England, and had been obliged to 

 abandon his cause. Professor Riley, Entomologist, and Messrs. 

 Hartman and Barrons, Ornithologists of the U. S. Department of 

 Agriculture, had been compelled to cast their votes against the "cussed 

 little Britisher." If the sparrow had been condemned in England, 

 where, according to Sir Walter Buller, it usually reared but two broods 

 a year, what would be the result in this country, where the output 

 from a single nest was five, six, and even seven broods a season 1 The 

 sparrow did good work by eating the seeds of the large thistle, but the 

 goldfinch and green linnet indulged even more in that habit. In 

 conclusion, he would say that he for one would be very sorry to see the 

 sparrow exterminated ; but he was convinced some systematic steps 

 would have to be taken to restrict the increase. The sparrow was like 

 alcoholic liquor : good in moderation, but decidedly harmful in excess. 



