NATURAL HISTORY NOTES 
151 
way in which they could get any practical results was to take care that in all they 
did they acted in accordance with the general trend of public opinion.” Now in 
this matter great stress has been laid on the importance and necessity of educating 
the rising generation, but it would appear that, in view of recent events, we are likely 
to have practical results of a very negative kind. The May number of these notes 
contains a paragraph quoted from the Birmingham Daily Post on the destruction 
of starlings, but this is only one of the numerous cases that have been appearing 
in the papers for many weeks past, in all parts of the country, farmers and fruit 
growers are raising funds and forming clubs for the purpose of waging war against 
certain kinds of birds, especially sparrows and starlings, which are supposed to be 
destructive to crops. I have before me no less than five notices of such clubs 
from a single paper. Various sums of money are offered for old and young birds 
and eggs, a common method being to pay so much per head for the sparrows 
heads produced, and in some localities nothing short of extermination is aimed 
at — two of the reports are, in fact, so worded. Whether reduction in the number 
of birds be necessary or desirable is at least open to question and of doubtful 
benefit, but the method of procedure is one that may easily develop into a serious 
evil. The production of sparrows’ heads and eggs will practically devolve upon 
the children of the working classes. The average school-boy is already endowed 
by nature and surroundings with sufficient destructiveness to make him empty 
every nest he finds, from sheer love of mischief and wrong-doing, but when to this 
is added the temptation of augmenting, in a very easy, and, to him, enjoyable 
way, his store of pocket money, we may well ask where the matter will end ? 
The head of a sparrow does not differ very much from that of any other small 
bird, and neither the farmer nor the small boy are likely to be over particular in 
differentiating between protected and unprotected birds, when both parties are 
equally interested in their destruction. In fact, all are “sparrows” that come to 
their net, and of what possible use, we may ask, is any amount of education, 
and any number of protection notices from the county councils, in face of such 
temptation ? In several cases of published results, the number of birds destroyed 
amounts to over 2, CXX3 in one season. Then we have the case of the “ profes- 
sional poisoner of birds,” who was summoned on the 30 th ult. at Fakenham, along 
with three farmers, by the R.S.P.C.A., for killing birds by means of poisoned 
grain. The result of his operations was that “ a barrow-load of dead birds of all 
kinds was picked up on the following morning.” It is satisfactory to learn, how- 
ever, that this miscreant, who confessed that he had carried on the business for 
twenty-five years, was sent to gaol for fourteen days in default of paying a fine of 
and costs. Another paper informs us that the few ravens that still nest in 
Cumberland are on the point of extinction, owing to the continual persecution of 
egg collectors, “ protection ” notwithstanding. An agricultural report is advocat- 
ing a crusade against bullfinches, wood-pigeons, rooks and starlings. In this 
sordid age, everything appears to be reduced to the level of money-making, but 
our wild birds (or what is left of them) are a national property of undoubted use, 
and a source of delight to many, and a minority, be they farmers, fruit growers or 
egg collectors, ought not to have the right or power to exterminate them, nor to 
adopt measures which may indirectly lead to such a result. W. 
512. The Cuckoo’s Notes. — It is well-known that the Cuckoo in June 
changes his tune, generally from Cuc-koo to Cuc-cuc-koo, though this year I 
have heard it cuc-cuc-cuckle-cuckle-cuc-koo, but it is not, perhaps, so generally 
known that the bird has two other notes, or rather utterances, of quite a different 
character. One is a peculiar gurgling sound, continued for perhaps half a 
minute, and the other a harsh rasping “caw,” not altogether unlike that of a 
crow. I have listened to both these sounds as I have watched the bird, and it 
has been as often when the bird is flying as when stationary. 
I can confirm from frequent observation the statement of A. L. H., that the 
usual cry is frequently uttered on the wing. 
Perhaps some of your correspondents might be able to say something of the 
other utterances I have mentioned. The gurgling sound I believe to be peculiar 
to the pairing season. 
R. Milburn Blakiston, F.S.A. 
The Deanery, Hadleigk, Suffolk. 
