INTRODUCTION. 



The periodical plagues or infestations which from time to 

 time break out in various parts of the United Kingdom, 

 and the damage and loss consequent thereon, show how 

 necessary it is that agriculturists should know how to dis- 

 criminate between friend and foe. Probably the reason 

 why the farmer is not able to do this is that he is lacking 

 in knowledge on the subject, this being to some extent 

 owing to the w^ant of practical guides. True there is Ciwiis's 

 Farm hisects^ and the splendid work on the same subject 

 done by that estimable lady, Aliss E. A. Ormerod. Until 

 recently, however, there has been but little material in any 

 permanent form dealing with the Birds or Animals affect- 

 ing the agriculturist. The first of .these has recently 

 been treated of,^ and now an endeavour is made to 

 show farmers what anim.als to regard as friends and 

 what as foes. In the past (if the farmer was in- 

 terested at all) there has been too great an inclination to 

 rush out with a gun and shoot any or every animal caught 

 trespassing in a crop ; and yet, in the great majority of 

 cases, this is an altogether unwise proceeding. For instance, 

 out of the 360 odd birds recognised as British," there are 

 two only which are proved beyond doubt to be positively 

 harmful to agriculture. These are the House-Sparrow and 

 AVood-Pigeon. In the cases of the numerous suspects (of 

 which the Rook may be taken as an example) the balance of 

 evidence is in favour of the bird ; whilst in the great 

 majority of instances the birds are friends rather than foes. 



* Ornithology in Relation to Agriculture," b}- various writers, edited by John 

 Watson, F.L.S. 



