Poisoning Of Birds

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29221, 3 June 1960, Page 3

Poisoning Of Birds

Sir,—lf I may make a further contribution on this discussion I would like to point out that a recent article in the English “Country Life” was devoted tc the ravages caused by woodpigeons, about which farmers had been bitterly complaining. Anyone who knows England will appreciate what devastation the hordes of these pigeons can cause, particularly in a hard winter, with their locust-like stripping of green crops. The word poison was never mentioned in the article in question, it being apparently accepted that organised shoots and the taking of nests during the nesting season were the only reasonable expedients. I have, moreover, a shrewd suspicion that poisoning was not mooted because of the violent reactions any such measures would inevitably provoke Even the snaring of rabbits in the old-fashioned “gin,” which meant usually a lingering death has long been outlawed in England.—Yours, etc., M. TREW. June 1, 1960.