420 JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Lists and Observations of Birds which destroy Crop and 

 Orchard Insects in England, and Notes of the lessening of 

 the number of loholly insectivorous Birds by Sparrow 

 attack. 



In our country we have much trustworthy observation of 

 damage from sparrows driving away the truly insectivorous 

 birds, notably swallows and martins. From my own personal 

 observations, I can speak of martins, which built plentifully under 

 eaves, being driven off, so that nesting ceased consequent on 

 increased sparrow presence ; and the following notes are from 

 observations sent to myself (E. A. 0.). 



In 1887 I received an observation * from Colonel Champion 

 Russell, of Baldwins, and Stubbers, near Romford, Essex, of the 

 presence of sparrows in droves or thousands at the first named 

 place, where they had not been kept in check, but not of 

 martins ; whilst at Stubbers, about a mile off, where Colonel 

 Champion Russell had kept the sparrows in check for many years, 

 there was presence of martins in hundreds. 



At another locality — The Moat House, Leake, near Boston, 

 Lines. — where the insects were " a serious pest," the occupant 

 took my advice and pretty well destroyed the sparrows ; conse- 

 quently swallows and martins re-established themselves, and the 

 pest of insects ceased to be destructive in garden and orchard. 

 Mr. Christy, of Boyton Hall, Chelmsford, reported to the same 

 effect, that as soon as the swallows and martins had built their 

 nests the sparrows drove them off, and laid their own eggs in 

 the harried nests, and " as a consequence we swarm with all 

 kinds of noxious gnats and flies." 



In reply to an inquiry I wrote to Mr. J. H. Gurney, of 

 Keswick Hall, near Norwich. As a skilled ornithologist, he men- 

 tioned that he could testify from personal observation that the 

 sparrows drive away the martins, and that he considered the 

 undoubted decrease of this species in the British Isles to be due 

 to their being prevented from nesting by the sparrows. 



In regard to what bird-help we may look to for ridding us of 

 insect enemies in the absence of the sparrow, the question may 

 be satisfactorily answered by reference to our various excellent 



* For this and the three following observations, see the " Twelfth Annual 

 Report on Injurious Insects," pp. 99, 100. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., 

 Stationers' Hall Court, London, E.C. Price Is. 6d. 



