PRESERVATION OF SMALL BIRDS 
could not be kept on coarse flesh. I could mention many 
other vexatious losses and injuries inflicted by this wily 
depredator. 
How much property is annually destroyed in London 
and other large towns by the overflow of rain-water pipes 
caused by these troublesome pests who so frequently build 
their nests in the head of the water-pipes on the upper 
part of the house, it is impossible to say. The first heavy 
storm that comes overflows the gutters, the houses and 
furniture being consequently damaged with water. 
To carriage-builders (especially those engaged in 
railway-carriage building) they are a great source of 
annoyance. The doors and windows of the large painting- 
sheds are open for the purpose of admitting light and 
air ; the sparrows enter, fly about among the rafters, etc., 
and, by their droppings and the filth they bring, destroy 
the work of the carriage-painter ; the mass of filth, etc., 
falling upon the wet paint or varnish is most ruinous. 
Hundreds of instances of this kind could be noted to 
show how very unwise it would be to have a law to pre- 
vent their destruction even for a single day in the year. 
There are no hawks or animals in or about London to 
keep them down, cats are not about during the day, and 
consequently if their numbers were not to some extent 
kept in check they would soon become in many places a 
very serious annoyance and loss. 
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