MOORHEN TEACHES MEN.

Forest and Bird, Issue 24, 1 July 1931, Page 10

MOORHEN TEACHES MEN.

“Christian Science Monitor.”

A notice board requesting visitors not to spoil the scenery by scattering rubbish about hangs from a tree at Bonchurch Pond, in the Isle of Wight. It reads:—“On an island in this pond s each year a moorhen makes her nest, exhibiting to all an example of industry, patience, and mother love most worthy of imitation. Also, she never throws rubbish into the pond, thus adding to her many virtues the crown of neatness.”

Diagram showing the Nature of Food of the HOUSE SPARROW when Immature and Aged.

This comparison is an early summer one when seed food (including weeds such as wireweed, fat-hen, thistle, etc.) is predominant. This shows that even the house sparrow, generally considered our most harmful bird-importation, has a good deal to be said for him; for it must be remembered that there are seeds only during a few weeks in the year, and as seeds decrease his insect food increases. (Diagram from Journal of Department of Agriculture, Washington, U.S.A.)

Fig. A. —Food of the young of an ordinary insect-eating bird during spring. Fig. B. Food of the adult of the same bird during summer. 1. Spider. 2. Fruit-bug. 3. Chafer-beetle. 4. Grasshopper. 5. Destructive Caterpillar. 6. Caterpillar of Cut- Worm Moth. The diagrams are from the “Year-Book of the Agricultural Department.” Washington, U.S.A., and specially refer to the common Cuckoo. The diagrams show the extreme usefulness of insect-eating birds.