BIRDS. 
5 
shoot a Starling for examination, but large quantities of weevils 
(of which specimens were sent) were found in the waggon which 
carried the Peas, and it was thought the Starlings were after these 
beetles. 
These flights of Starlings appear to be good examples of the kind 
of bird-presence that is useful. The insects come in great numbers, 
and the birds come from all about for a short time, presumably to feed 
on them, for if they fed on the Peas the ravage would be very plain to 
be seen. When the attraction is gone, so also will the concourse of 
Starlings go also; and whilst it appears to me that on the one hand 
there is no occasion to encourage them by artificial protection so as to 
injure reed-beds, or do other damage by their numbers, on the other 
hand it would be highly undesirable to destroy them or frighten 
them away. 
BEET. 
(See Mangold.) 
birds. 
Depredations of Sparrows. 
The subject of the great loss caused by Sparrows still needs to be 
brought forward. The injury continues to be widespread and serious, 
not only with regard to corn, but likewise in fruit farming districts, and 
to garden crops ; and to encourage those who are suffering under it 
to bestir themselves actively in getting rid of the pest, it is desirable 
to draw attention to some points connected with it which deserve 
consideration, such as what the food of the Sparrow is during the 
whole year besides the corn which we see it robbing us of; what its 
habits are ; and likewise whether, where Sparrows have been destroyed 
during a series of years in any given area, that area has been infested 
with more insects , or with more of any special kind of insect , than when the 
Sparrows were there. 
In this matter we refer (with one exception) to the House Sparrow, 
the Passer domesticus , and do not in any way mix with the subject 
considerations of other “ small birds.” 
During the past season I have received communications from 
observers, of which I give a few to show that in counties far apart 
from each other the mischief is still continuing both to food-producing 
crops and likewise to the produce itself. I have also received com¬ 
munications regarding food found in the Sparrows’ crops or gizzards, 
