EARWIGS

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21729, 11 March 1936, Page 17

EARWIGS

TO THE EMTOft OT THE PREBB. Sir,—Drakes may be good in the country places for getting rid of earwigs, but here in the city I like the magpie. We have one; he was not fully feathered when we received him. We have been gentle with him and find that he too is gentle in return. It is not wise to tease these birds; give them credit for their intelligence and deal with them as with a human being. . „ __ Do they catch earwigs? Yes. Do they destroy and pull uo plants in the garden? My experience is, no! But when one is hoeing around the plants the magpie is on the spot and woe betide the earwigs if his eye catches them- . . . ■,_ Another pest has developed—boys going home from school shying little stones at the bird. There is the danger of their hitting and wounding him for life. Then the stones lodge on the lawn and beeome a nuisance for the lawnmower. How am I to deal with these little chaps?—boys will be boys. Finally, the "giant earwig" made his appearance on one occasion. Back in the spring we had a lovely peony rose. It was in bud. We got up one morning and found it had been rooted out divided, one part' left behind and the' other taken. I believe there is a place to put these when caught, where they get their tails clipped until they learn not to pinch things which do not belong to them.—Yours, etc., EGLON SERCOMBE. March 9. 1936.