DOOM OF THE SWALLOW.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 10604, 5 November 1910, Page 3 (Supplement)

DOOM OF THE SWALLOW.

That is bad news and sad which comes from rural Franco about the rapid diminution in tho number of swallows., which mako their summer homo in that country. The Temps is devoting several of 'its long articles in its delightful "Vie dc la Campanile" series to it. Year after year more empty nests vainly await tho return of the migrant birds, and this year those who did return were later in coming than in any former year in the memory of living man owing to the severe weather in April and May. There is well-grounded fear that -th i entire race of swallows will disappear, and M. Cunisset-Camet in these articles, examines into the causes of tho present' state of things-with the view, perchance, of. arresting the" decrease of one of the. •::o»:t beautiful and interesting of all tlk' birds who help to make up the charm (it the summer in European countries;. The cause for tho rapid decrease in. the number of swallows, it is pointed out, is either natural or preventable. The chief natural causes threatening tho birds are the dangers they encounter on their long annual journeys from oast to west and back again and atiiids-' pheric conditions to which they arosubject and the epidemics which no living thing can escape. But, argues; the writer, those causes have always existed long before the present rapid decrease in the number of the birds was noticed. Hence there must bo some other cause. 'Where are w.o to look for it? As yet science has no answer to this question, but there is some idea that a cholera-like epidemic to which other birds are prone attacks swallows and causes them to die in large numbers. But a much more likely cause of the gradual disappearance of the birds is the barbarity by which unnumbered swallows are wilfully destroyed, either heenti.se they tire supposed to do harm io crops or from sheer lust of killing or because their nests under the eaves offend the housewife's sense of cleanliness.' "The manner in which we treat the birds," it is pointed out, "is disconcerting for its stupidity and its wickedness."

The writer justifies', tho strong terms ho uses b.v tolling of a recent experience lie had while walking past a charming omintrv house in a rurner of the Mariiime Alps. Under the eaves; were scores i;f uninhabited swallows' nesLs, and on asking the reason of the owner of the house, the latter replied: "Yes, oh, ,'cs, we had plenty of swallows even up o the last few years. I assure you it vas amusing; they used to perch on the lornice and you could kill as many as ■ on liked. And over there on the paraict of the bridge across the .stream they ■ iscd to sit some days in long rows tailing together. You could kill eight or ;en with one shot. It is eiirious, but iliero are hardly any now." '!AncV vhat, pray, do you do with the birds ,vhen you have killed them?" the visi;or asked. "Why, of course, we, eat ;hem! They are not as good as nightingales or robins, but it's game, any:iow." ' Meanwhile some of the large newspapers in the South of France arc tnk'rig up the cause of the swallows, Lnd M. Cunisset-Carnot, in the Temps, ranges himself on. their side with hb 3l6quent. articles, which ho ends with the following appeal to authority: "Together with all farmers, all bird lovers,' and all who are attracted by the charm and grace, the joy and beauty which the. swallow adds to our country, 1 ask myself whether, it is not time for the srise legislator to interfere seriously' in arder to put an end to this regrettable survival of barbarism." ' ■•-

' 'ln the Berlin Zoo is..a baboon with sibright blue and purple face, bright red nose and grayish-white bcird and whiskers. - ''

Year by year the rate of increase 'of the poulation of Prance has' steadily diminished. "The year 1908 will. long. ■■.- be remembered as that in which the '-"" fatal point in the downward course ■ reached, comments the Westminster, 'X Gazette. Last year it was announced, ■» - to the consternation of all'.thoughfc£ul>./r men", that during 1908 there, 20> V. •; ■births in. every ten thousand of 'the ',<.• ■population and 197 deaths. In :Aj ,words/ every ten thpusand of the V latibn.-h,ad gro-vhin if will many'years for its population to double. "■'•