SPARROWS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LIII, Issue 5918, 13 February 1880, Page 6

SPARROWS.

TO THB BDXTOB. Sib, —Having been credibly informed that it is intended after the harvest is gathered, to make a united and systematic attach upon poor sparrow, with a view if possible of exterminating him, will you allow me space for an extract from a work entitled “Kests and Eggs of Eamiliar Birds,” written by H. Or. Adams, Esq. He says: “ This very commonest of common birds must he well known to all our readers. A bold familiar bird, he hops about our paths, both in summer and winter, and takes, without waiting for an invitation, a share of whatever he finds eatable. We cannot feed our pigs, or our fowls, or our pigeons, but we feed the sparrow also, and their chirpings are never out of our ears; neither should the thought be out of our minds that He who, as the Scripture tells us, feeds the ravens, and suffers not a sparrow to fall to the ground unnoticed, is ever near to mark oiir doings, and to punish or reward us according to our deserts.” After a minute description of the eggs, nest, and places of building, he goes on to say : “Were not the sparrow so prolific a bird, one would think that it would long since have become extinct, for constant war is waged against it, and truly a price is set upon its nead, under the impression, as we think a mistaken one, that it is a most mischievous bird to the husbandman and the gardener. That sparrows consume a considerable quantity of grain and seeds, and do some injury to to fruit, we do not mean to deny j but there is plenty of evidence to prove that they also destroy an immense number of destructive insects, sufficient, at least, to balance the account which man has against them, if cot to make him considerably their debtor.” This question has been repeatedly argued; and, among others, Mr Hawley, of Doncaster, has taken up the cudgels in defence of our persecuted chirper of the housetop. In the “Zoologist" he thus states the

case:—“ I have watched pairs of s E ar F° w ® repeatedly feeding their young, and have found that they bring food to their nesfc in ten minutes during at least six hours twenty-four, and that each time from two to six caterpillars are brought.’ Now, B “PP that the 3500 sparrows destroyed by the association for killing gparrows wore to have been alive the next spring, eachpairtohave built a nest and reared excessive broods of toum, during three months we have at tuo rateTof 250,000 per day. the enormous multitude of 21,68,000 larva: prevented from increasing their number from fifty to uvo hundred-fold. It seems, then, after all, that the sadly maligned sparrow is a bird more sinned against than tinning. One of the primary objects of the Acclimatisation Society was to remove or check iniuries to articles of food, or staple productions, and as* ranking foremost amongst suoh injuries were those caused by noxious insects and caterpillars, and the lame of beetles in particular, might be considered in this district excessively destructive. I well remember when trenches were dug to intercept the marauding caterpillars in their course across the country; but as the depredations of these pests were carried on principally at night, the farmers, for some time, were little aware or the great loss their cereal crops and grasses sustained from this cause alone; but no sooner had they made the discovery than it was suggested that the only efficient remedy consisted in the introduction of insectivorous birds. The Society at once took up the matter, and in the year 1866 a large number of different kinds were received from England and Australia, and liberated in different localities of the district. From that date no complaints have been received about the devastations by caterpillars, and yet the determination is to annihilate the very consumers of these depredators. The destruction of sparrows may be carried too far, as in France, where it was followed by au increase of caterpillars, vastly more injurious to crops than the sparrows themselves, afrer which the French Government became so satisfied of the value of sparrows as to have a law made to prohibit their destruction. I trust what I have written may be the means of preventing the wholesale destruction of what has proved to be a most valuable bird, and although his plunders are considerable and very vexatious, and our climate the means of making him far more prolific than in the old country, yet I do hope _ that the destruction of him will not be carried so far as to cause his executioners to be sorry for tbeir deed by a return of the greater scourge. I quite concur in the use of moderate means being used to keep the number at a minimum, such as taking the nests or a little local poisoning where the numbers are great, but I must enter my protest against the universal destruction arranged to take place, as such a proceeding means the annihilation of our game as well, and a frustration of the Society’s efforts and expense. Thanking you, sir, for the space in your columns, —I am, &o, S. C. FARR, Feb. 11. ' Hon Sec. and Treasurer.,