"THE SMALL BIRD NUISANCE."

Waikato Times, Volume XXXIX, Issue 3161, 27 September 1892, Page 3

"THE SMALL BIRD NUISANCE."

Flto.M a good many sources we hear complaints of damage being done to the young grain crops by small birds. This is not so much owing to the depredations of the generally abused spirrow, as to the larks. The former—to give them their due—when all the grain, that can bo conveniently picked up, has been obtained, generally leave for pastures new. But not so (lie (arks. These are terribly destructive, both in scratching out the seed, and pulling up the young plants by the roots. We have been iuformed by an experienced and observing farmer, that the larks are the cause of more loss than is generally supposed. Cases have been known, where—in a dry season and grass scarce—whole fields of young rape and turnips have been taken by them, the plants being neatly nipped off just below the surface of the ground. Again, many are attributing the scarcity of clover plants in new pastures to the same cause, the clover seed—as farmers have doubtless noticed—germinating well, and forming nice young plants, only to disappear in a mysterious manner shortly after. It hns been suggested that the best, in fact the only time to reduce—for unlike the sparrow, they prefer grass to grain—i-i dunni; the winter, when pastures are very bare. At that season the larks seek out every green pitch in enclosed gardens along the roads and particularly, along the railway lines, where, during the past winter, they were to be seen in thousands—being shut off from stock, the herbige is generally abundant and fivsh when ordinary pastures ara (piite bare of feed. If poisoned grain were laid, during the winter and early spring months along the. permanent way, and upon such spots as we have sngafstcd, it would be the means of reducing one of the greatest nuisances that farmers are troubled with.