i877‘J 
The Balance of Nature. 
161 
in abundance, and within a reasonable distance of thfc lands 
they are expended to clear of insedt depredators ; otherwise 
— were every hawk, raven, or other carnivorous bird hunted 
down and done away with — our finches and warblers would 
still be few. We will even venture the opinion that were 
our hedges and hedgerow trees restored to their old condi- 
tion, and were human depredators put under wholesome 
restraint, we might have a better supply of small birds than 
at present, even if hawks, magpies, and jays were less se- 
verely dealt with. 
We will now take a brief glance at the birds and beasts of 
prey whom Mr. Morant “ tries for their lives,” and, with one 
exception, condemns. He shows great zeal in overruling 
any plea that may be urged in favour of the accused, and 
goes on the principle that no amount of benefit conferred 
upon mankind can atone for any offence against game. 
Though neither hostile to game-preservers nor desirous of 
the extirpation of pheasants, we shall not admit this 
dodtrine. 
The golden eagle we cannot defend : he certainly carries 
off lambs to a serious extent, and may attack children. 
Against the sea-eagle nothing is proved.* The buzzard, 
which follows next on Mr. Morant’s list, may certainly now 
and then secure a grouse, but he is too slow on the wing to 
be a successful bird-hunter. On the Continent he is known 
as a devourer of mice, rats, and snakes, which latter he at- 
tacks with much skill and judgment. The hen harrier is 
next examined, and condemned as a great destroyer of 
grouse. It is admitted, indeed, that the crop of an old 
male, when shot, was found to be full of wireworms. Still 
we fear that the balance of evidence is against him. There 
are other destroyers of wireworms, quite as efficient and 
more trustworthy. 
The falcon is unquestionably a bird-devourer who rarely 
partakes of any other prey ; nor do we know of any plea 
that can be urged in his favour. Little, if any, better is the 
case of the sparrowhawk, unless he occasionally varies his 
diet with a mouse. Further and closer observation would 
therefore here be desirable. The kestrel, or windhover, re- 
ceives a half-grudging acquittal : — “ When mice are plen- 
tiful,” says Mr. Morant, “he seldom takes birds; but he 
will not starve, and he well knows that the little newly- 
* By the way how many sheep does the “useful dog” — as Mr. Morant 
calls him — destroy in a year ? In the State of Georgia some 28,000 per 
annum ! We may thank the dog-tax that the damage in Britain, though very 
serious, does not reach so appalling an amount. 
VOL. VII. (N.S.) 
M 
