184 
NATURE NOTES 
last three years this beautiful bird has been more abundant in the Thames 
valley than I have ever known it. 
“ Depend upon it that Nature and rural economy have much more to do with 
ihe increase and diminution of species than some of our well-meaning enthusiasts 
are ready to admit. Let me take a case, which is too seldom insisted upon, 
though instances are everywhere before our eyes at the present moment. I do 
not think there is much doubt that the house-martin, a bird as beautiful and more 
useful than the goldfinch, is giving way before the relentless persecution, not of 
man, but of the sparrow. I am feeling this keenly, for this is the first year in 
which I have not been saluted in the early mornings by the twitter of the martins 
outside my windows here. They maintained an unequal fight for years, aided by 
me to the best of my ability, but they have now given up the game. As I write 
this, I can see clouds of sparrows, but not a single martin. Unless we can put 
down the sparrow — and in corn-growing country that is almost impossible — we 
shall gradually lose our martins, or they will have to develop some new method 
of nesting. This will be the result of natural and apparently unavoidable pro- 
cesses ; the stronger species wins, and victory goes to the big battalions. Sparrows 
are useful enough in towns ; but those who live, as 1 do, in a corn-growing 
country, can only look upon them as a pest. I cannot but think that it is time 
for the Selborne Society to take the sparrow question in hand. 
''■ Kingha7n, ChippUig Nortoti.'” W. Warde Fowler.” 
Willow-Grouse.' — General Engelhard! records in “A 
Russian Province of the North ” (Constable) that “ A single 
river steamer on the Pechora carried ten tons of white wings of 
willow-grouse.” . . . . “ They can be dyed and converted 
into feathers of any other birds.” 
Destruction of Birds for “ Aigrettes.” — In the Report 
on the trade and commerce of Venezuela for the year 1898, 
which has been prepared by Mr. W. H. D. Haggard, Her 
Majesty’s Minister at Caracas, and just published as a Parlia- 
mentary paper, reference is made to the destruction of birds for 
the supply of “ aigrettes ” for ladies’ hats. The slaughter is 
really appalling. Mr. de Demos, the Vice-Consul at Ciudad 
Bolivar, reporting to Mr. Haggard, says that “ the e.xport 
reaches this year the total of 2,839 kilos. ; that 870 birds have to 
be killed to produce one kilo, of the smaller feathers, and about 
215 for one kilo, of the larger. If, therefore, we take the average, 
the number of birds killed last year was 1,538,738, but if we 
take the highest number it was 2,469,930, and even the lowest 
accounts for the slaughter of 610,385.” 
Abol Insecticide. — At the beginning of the summer we 
received a sample of this insecticide from Messrs. E. A. White, 
hop and fruit growers. Beltring, Paddock W'ood, Kent ; and, 
a friend having thoroughly tried it, we are able to testify to the 
fact of its being most efficacious in destroying aphides without 
in any degree injuring the plants. 
British Mycological Society. — The annual week’s fungus 
foray of this Society will take place, under the presidency of 
Dr. C. B. Plowright, in the New Forest, on October 2nd to 7th, 
the headcjuarters being at the Crown Hotel, Lyndhurst. The 
Mon Secretary is Carleton Rea, Escp, 34, Eoiegate Street, 
Worcester. 
