OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 28 October 1941, Page 6

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

THE DESTRUCTIVE HEDGEHOG (To the Editor.) Sir,—Replying, to Mr W. Rayner’s letter re hedgehogs, I think they are the greatest destroyers of open country birds. I have seen hundreds of larks’ skins, etc., stored up in their “dining-rooms,” like the one Mr Rayner writes about. I have known a hedgehog kill nine half-grown pullets and drag them under a coop. Then, like the black-fellow of Australia, having had his fill, he went to sleep on top of them. Another time a goose was hatching out her eggs and one of these creatures waited till she went off her nest to feed and then rolled the eggs away* under cover and ate them. They also kill quail on their nests and eat the young of pheasants and their eggs. When stoats have their young, they may feed them on anything handy to the nest. They are bloodsuckers and are always killing rabbits and hares in countless thousands, and on some of the hilly country, where three years ago there were thousands of rabbits, none are to be seen now. Every stoat would be worth £5 to the hill country farmer if he would stop on the farm.

The morepork is the terror of all native birds and in the bush they feed cn birds and rats at night time, and, with the help of the daring sparrow hawk “who is very fond of young pigeons,” will in time exterminate all the native birds. Why does not the Government offer a reward for the heads of morepork and sparrow hawks, and stop the deer cullers killing the pigs and wild cattle? What harm do they do? —I am, etc.,

. TANARA PENETI, Masterton, October 27.