T. B. HILL AND THE SPARROWS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIV, Issue 4748, 3 February 1877, Page 1 (Supplement)

T. B. HILL AND THE SPARROWS.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—l donot generally replytoanonymous correspondents, but as the sparrow question is of public importance, and my name being freely made use of in connection, therewith, is my excuse for deviating from my usual course. No doubt " Anti-vermin," like myself, has suffered much from what at present is an intolerable nuisance; but suppose we look calmly into the matter, how is it that the poor little sparrow is blamed SO; and why none of his good qualities known ? They just follow the great law of nature, to increase and multiply, whilst their feeding grounds almost stand still, or do not increase in anything like the same The caterpillar is rarely seen in the bush, fern, or ti-tree country, nor is the pheasant, lark, starliug, linnet, sparrow, or any other of bur feathered immigrants met with. You may travel over scores of miles of such country, when, coming suddenly on a civilised spot or even, a Maori cultivation, all are mot with in profusion. If all the cereals and other things wo consume, and cultivation occupied the place of cattle and pig runs, the feeding grounds for our acclimatised birds would be so increased that I believe little would be heard of even, the now mischievous sparrow.—l am, &c, T. £. Hilt* Victoria-street, Auckland.