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PART V. 
MISCELLANEOUS INTELLIGENCE, 
ON NATURAL- HISTORY, HORTICULTURE, AND RURAL AFFAIRS. 
I.— QUERIES, ANSWERS, REMARKS, &c. 
On Destroying Sparrows. — It was with considerable pain that I read in 
your last numberiMr. Stafford's proposal of exterminating the whole race of /■ //'J 
Sparrows by poison. He appears to me, to have considered the subject, as 
regards the injuries occasioned by Sparrows, very superficially, without ha- 
ving weighed against them, the many benefits which we derive from that bird' 
That they are often troublesome in gardens, I do not deny; — but I believe 
that from the great quantity of caterpillars, grubs, and other insects, which 
they devour, they on the whole, fully, if not more than fully, compensate for 
the injury which they do in the gardens. To Farmers, 1 have no doubt that 
they do much more good than evil. It is only during about a month in the 
year, — at seed-time and before harvest, — that they occasion him injury ; the 
rest of the year they benefit him, by the grubs and other insects which they 
eat; by keeping his hedges clear from caterpillars; and by consuming the seed 
of so many kinds of weeds which otherwise would grow both in the meadow 
and arable land. 
The different methods which have been employed for the poisoning of the 
earth-worms, have always produced sterility ; and I have no doubt that if 
Mr. Stafford's plan was followed, it would produce much injury, aud cause 
the loss of many valuable crops. I hope no person will devote to sudden and 
unthinking destruction, the whole race of Sparrows, without reading Bewick's 
admirable and pathetic defence of them.* 
If, on a full consideration, it is still thought desirable to destroy Sparrows 
to a great extent, I think the doing it by poison, is very objectionable, for 
fear some of the dead birds should be picked up by the poor, and being sup- 
posed to have been shot, should be eaten by them; — and thus great injury 
might be done to a human being: and also, because when poison is used about 
a house, many accidents continually occur from it. I feel no shame in de- 
fending this humble species of birds, when their whole race is pointed out for 
extermination, which in all parts of the globe, always follow the cultivator of 
the earth, and claims to be the companion of civilized man ; and when we are 
told by the Highest authority, that insignificant as they are among animals, 
they partake of the protecting care of their Creator. 
To endeavour to keep within due bounds, Sparrows and every race of ani- 
mals, is doubtless permitted to man, when they increase to an extent to be 
injurious. — But my objections to Mr. Stafford's proposal are, that it would 
carry the destruction of this species of birds to an extent, that instead of being 
beneficial, would be greatly detrimental; and that his mode of efiiecting it, is 
most highly dangerous. 
The use, which some species of birds are of, and the injuries of others, both 
in the galdcn and farm, are subjects of much real importance, as well as of 
' See Bewick's British Birds, vol. I, page 1.54. 
