CHAPTER XVI

LETTERS TO MR. GRIMSHAW, MR. WISE, AND MR. TEGETMEIER

The Red-bearded Bot fly—Deer and Ox Warble flies—Caddis flies—Black Currant mites—Crusade against the House Sparrow—Miss Ormerod’s pamphlet and Mr. Tegetmeier’s book on the Sparrow.

The grouping of the letters to three correspondents, so differently interested in Entomology and other branches of Biology, was more a matter of dates than of any scientific relationship in the subject matter. (1) Mr. Grimshaw, the well-known authority on Scottish Diptera, was also the first investigator to show that the so-called “frosted” condition of heather was caused by a beetle larva; (2) Mr. Wise was one of Miss Ormerod’s most interested correspondents in questions relating to fruit-growing and market-gardening; and (3) Mr. Tegetmeier was her colleague through the trying days of the Sparrow controversy, in which Miss Ormerod was subjected to bitter personal attacks by her opponents. He was always ready to lend assistance in relation to questions dealing with birds and the four-footed animals.

_To Percy H. Grimshaw, Esq., F.E.S., &c., Museum of Science and Art, Edinburgh._

TORRINGTON HOUSE, ST. ALBANS, _August 14, 1895_.

DEAR SIR,—I write at once to thank you very much for the copy of your paper on the _Cephenomyia rufibarbis_ (Red-bearded botfly), in the “Annals of S. Nat. Hist.” Will this be the attack figured (in its effect on the deer) in Dr. Brauer’s spirited frontispiece to his “Œstridæ”?[63]

[In the last few days I have had sent a nice specimen of the Throat Deer botfly, _C. rufibarbis_, which I alluded to in my nineteenth Report. It is a very handsome fly, more than half an inch long, and of very broad make (three-eighths across the abdomen), thickly clothed with very dark hair (but much either mixed with or tipped with orange), and on each side of the thorax a good-sized pale patch, and beneath the chin the red beard from which it takes its name. I scarcely think it would occur in the New Forest, but, if it did, it would be quite a rare prize.][64]

Have you (if I may venture to ask) extended your researches to the _Hypoderma_ (Warble fly), of our British deer? It would be usefully interesting, I think, if we could work this up. I am doing what I can, with help from some of the head-keepers, &c., and when deer-stalking is going on I am promised a warbled red-deer’s hide for examination.

_August 17, 1895._

I had much pleasure in receiving your letter this morning, and only wish I had a duplicate of the _Hypoderma bovis_ (Ox warble fly, fig. 5), to spare—I would most gladly offer it, but now I have only one. I never had many, and with my best endeavours I cannot get people to rear them. I quite hope to have a hide of a red-deer presently, and I think one might make out the larva of the _H. diana_ (Deer warble fly), at least, by reference to fig. 6, tab. viii.—what do you think?

May I ask you to do me the pleasure of accepting the enclosed copy of the “Œstridæ,” lately come rather curiously to my hands. It was sent through a mistake instead of the separate impression of Dr. Brauer’s “Tabanidæ,” and as I knew how difficult it was to procure (especially with the plates), I kept it, feeling sure it would be useful to some friend. I have a copy which I have worked with for years, so I hope that you will not hesitate to give me the pleasure of making this copy as useful as I am sure it will be in your hands. I wish it were in better order. I see that beneath the frontispiece of this copy is a reference to p. 186 in the “Biologie von Cephenomyia, &c.,” but I suppose my frontispiece is a “proof before letters,” for there is no reference or description. The two are the same edition.

_January 9, 1897._

My _rufibarbis_ was sent to me by Mr. Dugald Campbell from Strathconan Forest, Muir of Ord, Ross-shire. I received it on June 8th, then quite fresh—and such a beauty! With its long thick coat it almost might be called furry, and the “glance” on the hairs was lovely. It was rather darker in some parts (that is, ran to rather more foxy red on the centre of the upper fore part of the abdomen), than is noted by some observers, so that it was very richly coloured, and its red beard was very handsome. I have had a figure taken of it, with great care, and if when you see it (for of course I hope you will accept a copy of my next Annual Report, on publication), you think you would like to borrow it any time for one of your papers, I should be only happy to lend it you.

Yours sincerely, ELEANOR A. ORMEROD.

_To Charles D. Wise, Esq., Estate Office, Toddington, Winchcombe, Gloucestershire._

TORRINGTON HOUSE, ST. ALBANS, _April 16, 1896_.

DEAR MR. WISE,—If it would not give you too much trouble I should be very glad of some information about the case of Caddis worms attacking water-cresses. You will know these grubs quite well as the creatures that go about in shallow ponds or ditches with a case formed round them. Sometimes this is of very little shells, but at home the commonest kind was made of little morsels of rush or stick, with little leaves webbed up with it.

There is a very large trade in water-cresses from the little river here, but there are such quantities of trout in it, that probably these keep the Caddis worms in moderate limits, and I only now and then see their flies, the so-called “Water moths” in the summer. Mr. Richard Coe, Weston Farm, Guildford, has kindly sent me some excellent specimens of Caddis worms and cases, which I am very glad to have. The chief natural helpers against over-presence of Caddis worms appear to be fish of various kinds, but the increase of birds which naturally feed on fish—herons, &c.,—destroys the balance of nature, and Caddis worms increase.

[Miss Ormerod, quoting Mr. Coe in her Report for 1896, says (p. 156):—

“Whenever we find a bed of cresses attacked, we clear away all the plants, drain off the water, and leave the bed perfectly dry for two or three weeks in the autumn, previous to the winter planting. If afterwards we find traces of the worm, we wait until the plants are well established, then we increase the volume of water and swim the bed, and pass the backs of wooden rakes over the tops of the plants very thoroughly. This process brings the bulk of the worms to the surface, and they are let off down-stream with the surplus water.”

To Dr. Fletcher she also wrote as follows:—

“Did I tell you about the Caddis worm attack on water-cresses? So much harm was being done that the unlucky grower was in much trouble, and on running the matter up it appeared that formerly there were numbers of trout in the water, but lately the landlord’s wife had a fancy to encourage herons, and so came the curious sequence. The herons cleared off the insect-loving trout, so the vegetable-eating insects got ahead, and the watercress grower could not pay the rent of his half acre of cresses. I suggested that as the herons were encouraged by the lady, perhaps she, if applied to, might to some degree make good the damages!”]

_March 5, 1897._

DEAR MR. WISE,—You asked my views about moles at Strawberry roots. I should say it would be quite worth while to spare them as you are doing, and see what comes of it. If they take the _Otiorhynchus_ grub (of Orchard and Hop weevils) this would meet a difficulty which we hardly know how to fight at present, and if the moles took these grubs one might hope that they would take other underground kinds, which are kitchen garden pests, almost unconquerable by other remedial means. I should doubt, however, whether they would be of much service against Winter moth chrysalides (fig. 30). Very likely I am not right, but the mole seems to me to prefer more open ground and a larger scope of operations.

_April 8, 1897._

So far as I know the only treatment for Black Currant Gall mite, _Phytoptus ribis_ (fig. 65), which has been in a measure successful, is that reported by Mr. J. Biggs, of Laxton, East Yorkshire, in my seventeenth Annual Report, p. 93. There, if you will turn to it, you will see we have treatment to clear the pest from all localities, whether straying on the twigs or on the ground; or in the buds, this by breaking them off. Mr. Biggs observed, writing on the 20th of April, 1892: “You will, I am sure, be interested in knowing that I have, to a certain extent, prevented the _Phytoptus_ utterly ruining my black currant trees. As you suggested in a letter of last March, we syringed the bushes twice with the solution of Paris-green, which I procured from Messrs. Blundell, and gave the soil all under the bushes a good coating of caustic lime; I also gave the bushes another dressing of the Paris-green. Just when the buds appeared this spring I had a boy gathering all the little knobs off the trees. The result has proved as satisfactory as I could expect, considering the condition of the trees last year, and I have every prospect of securing a good half crop. Our neighbour’s trees in this village are utterly ruined, scarcely a leaf to be seen, and the trees completely covered with the affected knobs.”

But with regard to the life history of the pest, I believe it breeds entirely in the infested buds, and I believe also breeds, _i.e._, lays eggs, there at any time during the winter. I know that the nearly allied nut-_Phytoptus_ does, for I have seen them. Outside the buds, so far as I know, the life is wholly spent in sheltering in crannies or straying about, on the stems, or on the ground. What we want, appears to me to be, to clear the mite by syringings from the stems when the buds (of which we have now the galled growth) are first beginning to form. But I do not see how we could do this, for we should ruin the fruit. My only hope for real prevention where black-currants are grown on this large scale, is in an alteration of the method of cultivation. As it stands now, the mites can convey themselves, or be carried by wind-borne leaves, or may creep from one bush to another on the ground, but if there could be a mixing of some field crop in strips with the black-currants, I believe it would do a deal preventively. If the ground between the rows were occupied by some crop that the _Phytopti_ would not pass, it could not fail to lessen their presence. Even strips of strawberries or of gooseberries would be beneficial. I wonder whether kainite would be a good remedial application? It might kill all the mites that are about, but it is quite plain to me that, as nothing that has been tried for so many years answers thoroughly, we are on the wrong lines and need a new plan. I wish you would, at your leisure, tell me what you think of mixing crops, and if you could let me have just a few little bits of galled twigs for figuring, I should be very much obliged. I wish I could help better about the matter, but so far the attack appears to have fairly baffled us all.

_April 13, 1897._

I am very much obliged for these remarkably fine specimens of Currant galls, which reached me safely this morning. About the life history of the _Phytopti_, I do not think that anything more is recorded than what both you and I know. But as we know well that the mites are in the galls (such as you send me), it seems to me that what we have got to act upon is their condition (or locality, rather) in the time between their leaving these galls and when they are starting new attack in the embryo buds. I wish I could tell you more, but I do not see how to get at the point of locality, excepting by watching shoots with a hand magnifier. I really am quite at a loss as to what can be done.

_April 19, 1897._

I wrote out to Vienna to Professor Dr. A. Nalepa, who is the great authority on the _Phytoptidæ_, and he is much interested in hearing about this great spread of attack, but is not able to give us better advice, as to practical remedies, than what we are already trying. (See also p. 248.)

He says very truly, that looking at the winter quarters of the mite pests being most especially in the buds, such measures as:—

(1) Breaking off and destroying the infested buds.[65] (2) Cutting off the infested shoots just above the ground, and so getting new shoots. (3) Only using uninfested pieces for propagation—could not, he thinks, fail to be of service, if carried out carefully. I quite agree with Dr. Nalepa so far as that, without these measures, infestation would be worse than it is. In a small amount of growth (such as bushes in a private garden), I can speak from my own personal experience of having sometimes satisfactorily checked the spread of these or similar causes of injury by employing dressings. But it is a very different matter where blackcurrant bushes are grown by acres together; and I greatly doubt whether, even if consideration of cost were put aside, it would be within possibility to get this wood (or grove) of bushes, so examined and so expurgated of evil, as not to leave centres for spread.)

It always strikes me as a very curious circumstance that (so far as I am aware) the black currant is not affected by this _Phytoptus_ on the Continent, or at least in the large part of it in which the attacks are noted by Kaltenbach or Taschenberg. Do you think it can be that the black currant is there of a somewhat different kind which repels _Phytoptus_ attack, just as some kinds of American vines are not as subject as others to _Phylloxera_? It occurs to me that it may be well worth while to import some hundreds of plants and plant them, of course on what is considered clean ground, and see what comes of it. I should like your views after you have well thought the matter over. I cannot expect the expense of an experiment of mine to be borne by any Company, but I should much like it trustworthily tried, and if you could give me some guidance as to where to apply on the Continent, and cost (a rough estimate), I might be able to get the plants, and with your permission send a good consignment to yourself.

_April 27, 1897._

I have to-day heard from Dr. Ritzema Bos about the _Phytoptus ribis_, and he tells me that in Holland he knows many localities where this infestation is a scourge to fruit-growers, but it is always the black currant which is attacked. They do not have it there in the red currant, _Ribes rubrum_. He says that he is not acquainted with any better remedies than those mentioned in my letter, but that he considers it an excellent idea to seek for varieties or families of black-currants, _Ribes nigrum_, which may be “_Phytoptus_ proof.” He does not himself know positively whether there are districts in Holland not attacked by the _Phytoptus_, and whether in attacked districts there may be varieties that do not suffer. Therefore he is going to ask for information on this head from horticulturists and fruit-growers, and will write me again. I think it is very kind of him to take so much trouble to help us, and from his position I expect he will easily obtain whatever information is to be had, and I will be sure to let you know. It is very curious about the red currant being attacked in some parts of the Continent and not in others.

_November 30, 1897._

I have this afternoon heard from Professor J. Jablonowski, Assistant at the State Entomological Station, Budapest, that he “sends now the promised black-currants.” I expect these will be supposed “mite-proof” plants, as he says that he hopes they will be serviceable for the proposed experiment—but he does not explain; only that they have been given to him by his friend, the Director of the Horticultural Institute, Desiderius Angyal (I do not know what prefix I should write). When the plants arrive I propose to divide them (if you please) between yourself and Mr. John Speir—it would be exceedingly interesting if there really should turn out to be a mite-proof black currant. But meanwhile Professor Jablonowski would very much like to have a specimen of the mite galls, for he has never seen them. If it would not be too much trouble, I should be very greatly obliged if you would be kind enough to let me have two or three bits of twigs with galls, if any are showing enough now to be noticeable, and I would send them on.

_December 4, 1897._

Many thanks for the supply of galls, which I shall duly send to the Professor, and I earnestly hope that he will not infest Hungary with them! The consignment came to hand from him yesterday evening, but it is in the form of shoots as cuttings, so I now send you about half in a registered letter. If the pieces root properly I should think it would be best to plant them amongst the infested currants—as they are so few it would not be much trouble—and there is just a chance that they may be mite-proof. I do not myself (much as I regret it) think that there is any safety in washes and that sort of treatment, but as I write the idea comes into my mind whether, as with us, the _Ribes rubrum_ (red currant) seems mite-proof—anything could be done by grafting black on red. Would they graft? or is my idea quite chimerical? The black currant shoots are var. “bang-up,” which suggests England as their original country.

I do not know whether you have to do with importing apple fruit, but I see from Dr. Fletcher’s (Canadian) Entomological Report that there is a newly observed fruit maggot in, I think (without special reference), the District of Columbia.

_December 17, 1897._

I cannot be sure of your bulb attack without developing the fly, but I should conjecture that the mischief was most likely caused by the Narcissus fly. This is now known as the _Merodon narcissi_, Fab., but from the varieties in colour to which it is subject, I believe it has been known under all the following specific names: _ephippium_, _transversalis_, _nobilis_, _constans_, _ferrugineus_, _flavicans_, and _equestris_.

It is a fair-sized two-winged fly, and appears to be (in grub state) a severe plague to Narcissus and Daffodil growers in Holland, &c., especially in bulbs imported from the South of Europe.

In Verrall’s list of British Diptera I only find one species of _Merodon_ named and that is _equestris_, which on the principle mentioned on the preceding page, might be synonymous with all the other (?) species. The grubs feed in Narcissus and Daffodil bulbs and turn to chrysalides in the ground, but I do not find anywhere that there is any known remedial measure. It seems to me that the only way if a bed were much infested would be literally to trench it, and so turn down the chrysalides. You do not mention whether your bulbs are home grown. If they are imported, could not you suggest to your “consigner” that unless he sent you bulbs without maggots in them, you purposed applying elsewhere?

_May 12, 1898._

Excepting one specimen your caterpillars are not yet nearly full grown! If you will turn to “Lappet moth” in my Annual Reports for 1893 and 1894, you will find “the brutes” figured—perhaps get a hint where they may have come from.

It was about this attack amongst others that I gave so much annoyance to “Entomologists” by recommending that, notwithstanding their beauty and rarity, it would be highly desirable to make them yet more rare!

_December 5, 1900._

Do you happen to have seen the Woburn Report containing, amongst a good deal of information, an account of results of experiments _re_ Black currant mite? I would with pleasure lend you my copy, if you please; there is a little in it, as to their views about hydrocyanic acid—the very great difficulties of applying it to broadscale treatment—and a politely expressed hope that further experiment may lead to useful results. The experiment of moving cut down plants, even if steeped in methylated spirit and water, has not succeeded. Mine had a charming little crop of mite galls on those only moved to my clean ground, and even the steeped plants were not quite without them. In this case four of the twelve plants died, the others were sickly, and all of the two dozen sent me flowered profusely but did not produce one currant!

Yours very truly, ELEANOR A. ORMEROD.

_To W. B. Tegetmeier, Esq., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U._[66]

TORRINGTON HOUSE, ST. ALBANS, _July 3, 1897_.

DEAR MR. TEGETMEIER,—I am greatly obliged by what you tell me about your intentions as to publishing a book on “The House Sparrow,” _Passer domesticus_. My idea is this—that for popular use (farmers and gardeners)—the evidence of what the food of the house sparrow really is, needs to be put plainly before them by means of records of trustworthy investigations of the contents of their crops. For this I have been taking the returns of Mr. Gurney, and some of Colonel Russell, who used to help me; an abstract of the U.S.A. Board of Agricultural Investigations, &c., &c.; also from my own Annual Reports, some lists, and observations of birds which are named as destroying insects—this to show that we do not wholly rely on _Passer domesticus_! With other material I propose to make a sort of 8 or 12 page “leaflet” or small pamphlet, and send it out gratuitously. I believe it would have an enormous circulation, and would not interfere with your much more valuable standard book. But I am exceedingly desirous to act completely in conjunction with you. To me it would be a very great advantage. I quite reckon on being violently attacked, but it did me no harm before to be threatened to be shot at, also hanged in effigy, and other little attentions. Still it was disagreeable!

[Miss Ormerod’s case against the House Sparrow or avian rat is briefly given in the following summary, appended to the aforementioned leaflet, of which nearly 36,000 were printed and issued to applicants:—

“We find, in addition to what all concerned know too well already of the direct and obvious losses from sparrow marauding, that there is evidence of the injurious extent to which they drive off other birds, as the swallows and martins, which are much more helpful on account of their being wholly insectivorous; also that, so far from the sparrow’s food consisting wholly of insects at any time of the year, even in the young sparrows only half has been found to be composed of insects; and of the food of the adults, it was found from examination that in a large proportion of instances no insects at all were present, and of these many were of kinds that are helpful to us or harmless. It is well on record that there are many kinds of birds which help us greatly by devouring insects, and that where sparrows have systematically been destroyed for a long course of years other birds have fared better for their absence. Attention should also be drawn to the enormous powers of increase of this bird, which under not only protection, but to some extent absolute fostering, raises its numbers so disproportionately as to destroy the natural balance.

“Here as yet we have no movement beyond our own attempts to preserve ourselves, so far as we legally may, from Sparrow devastations; but in the United States of America (of the evidence of which I have given a part) the Association of the American Ornithologists gave their collective recommendation that all existing laws protecting the sparrow should be repealed, and bounties offered for its destruction; and the law protecting the sparrow has been repealed in Massachusetts and Michigan. Dr. Hart Merriam, the Ornithologist of the U.S.A. Board of Agriculture, also officially recommended immediate repeal of all laws affording protection to the English sparrow, and enactment of laws making it penal to shelter or harbour it; and Professor C. V. Riley, Entomologist to the Department, similarly conveyed his views officially as to it being a _destructive bird, worthless as an insect killer_. In Canada, on October 6, 1888, at the Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of Ontario, Mr. J. Fletcher, Entomologist of the Experimental Farms of the Department, strongly advocated the destruction of the sparrow; and in reply the Hon. C. W. Drury, Minister of Agriculture (who attended the meeting as head of the Agricultural Department of Ontario), stated ‘that this destructive bird was no longer under the protection of the Act of Parliament respecting insectivorous birds, and that every one was at liberty to aid in reducing its numbers.’ Reasoning on the same grounds as to procedure in this country, we believe that similar action is, without any reasonable cause for doubt, called for here. The amount of the national loss, by reason of ravaged crops and serviceable birds driven away, may be estimated, without fear of exaggeration, at from one to two millions a year. Much of their own protection lies in the hands of farmers themselves; and sparrow clubs, well worked, and always bearing in mind that it is only this one bird that is earnestly recommended to their attention, would probably lessen the load to a bearable amount; and we believe that subscriptions, whether local or from those who know the desirableness of aiding in the work of endeavouring to save the bread of the people from these feathered robbers, would be money wisely and worthily spent.”

In his little book, “The House Sparrow,”[67] Mr. Tegetmeier writes:—“There is no species with which _Passer domesticus_ is likely to be confounded except the Tree sparrow, _P. montanus_ (the only other species indigenous to this country) which is less numerous and which is readily distinguished by its smaller size, being only 5½ instead of 6 inches in length, and by its having black patches in the middle of the white feathers on each side on the neck, and two distinct bands of white across the wing in place of one.” “The so-called Hedge-sparrow or Dunnock, _Accentor modularis_, is wrongly named. It is a purely insect-eating bird, and neither in its structure, habits nor food is it closely related to the House sparrow. It does not occur in large numbers, and is highly beneficial as an insect destroyer.”]

_July 10, 1897._

DEAR MR. TEGETMEIER,—Your letter received this morning is a very great pleasure to me—in fact, a great relief to my mind, for I was truly sorry to feel I might be trespassing on far more authoritative work. I should like to shorten my work if I could, but when we meet, I hope you will set me right as to condensing and all other matters. If we could rout _P. domesticus_ it would be a national benefit. Much looking forward to our meeting on Tuesday.

_August 4, 1897._

I think “House Sparrow” shapes up nicely altogether, and I have this morning received a letter from Dr. M. E. Oustalet, President of the “Comité Ornithologique permanent,” at Paris, to say that he has not been able to find any indication of destruction of sparrows having taken place by order of Government in the districts that I inquired about.

_August 16, 1897._

Application for our leaflet is very satisfactory. The Staffordshire County Council has taken up distribution, and the farmers and parish authorities are again encouraged to begin sparrow clubs. I have experienced tremendous denunciations of my own brutality from the Rev. J. E. Walker. I enclose the second, as he purposes to relieve his mind further in the “Animal’s Friend.” Please not to return it. I returned his book with my compliments and thanks for sight of the same, and requested that should he desire to make any further remarks relative to the leaflet that he would not address them to me, but to you as my colleague in the work.

_August 21, 1897._

In very little more than a week a new impression was needed to keep up to demand—and we are making way well with this second 5,000. Many of the applications are from centres—and great satisfaction is often expressed at the information being made available. The Agent-General for New Zealand asked for a supply, and Mr. Morley, Lord Spencer’s agent, is taking up the matter well; and as Lord Spencer appears to steadily set his face against sparrows, I hope that when he comes home we shall get some support there. A fair proportion of clergymen want copies for distribution to parishioners, or for sparrow clubs, which is satisfactory—and amongst all the great mass of applications there have not, I think, been more than five or six at all upholding _P. domesticus_, and these have been mostly quite trivial observations.

Mr. Morley was in a difficulty about how to keep the birds for counting, as in warm weather they got unpleasant. I suggested preserving their heads in salt and water—if I remember rightly this was how they managed the difficulty in South Australia. Altogether I think we are doing well—there are a good many inquiries as to the best methods of destroying the bird—but I always say that you will deal with this in your work. The good folks have not attacked me again personally by letter.

I should have liked to write just a short note to the “Field” to mention how well the matter has been taken up, but I did not feel sure whether you would wish me to do it? Would you think well of just mentioning the large demand yourself? On several days the applications ran to above a hundred letters. I am keeping the letters, for in some there is very practical observation as to the great injury done by sparrows—especially attacking corn on allotments.

_August 22, 1897._

I am trying—if the thing be possible—to rout people out of the time-honoured old holes that they creep into—as the emigration of the sparrows—also the Maine and Auxerre story. These, I think, we have managed.

* * * * *

[The following is an extract from the “House Sparrow” pamphlet:—

“For many years mention has been made, by those who consider sparrow preservation desirable, of great disasters following on some not clearly detailed methods of extermination, or expulsion of the sparrow in the countries of Hungary and Baden, and also in the territory of Prussia; and, nearer our own time, in Maine, and near Auxerre in France. With regard to the three first named, a record will be found in our own ‘Times’ for August 21, 1861, p. 7.

“This gives a translation from the French paper, the ‘Moniteur,’ of a report on four petitions relative to preservation of small birds which had been presented to the French Corps Législatif. The report contains much information, but in respect to the emigrations of the sparrow because the bird was aware of the plots that were being laid against its safety, the statements cannot be said to carry any weight. The following extract is inserted, as it is important to agriculturists to have a correct copy of the baseless statements they are sometimes called on to believe. The passage is as follows:—

“‘Now, if the facts mentioned in the petitions are exact, according to the opinion of many this bird ought to stand much higher than he is reputed. In fact, it is stated that a price having been set upon his head in Hungary and Baden, the intelligent _proscrit_ left those countries; but it was soon discovered that he alone could manfully contend against the cockroaches and the thousand winged insects of the lowlands, and the very men who offered a price for his destruction offered a still higher price to introduce him again into the country.’ ... ‘Frederick the Great had also declared war against the sparrows, which did not respect his favourite fruit the cherry. Naturally the sparrows could not pretend to resist the conqueror of Austria, and they emigrated; but in two years not only were there no more cherries, but scarcely any other sort of fruit—the caterpillars ate them all up; and the great victor on so many fields of battle was happy to sign peace at the cost of a few cherries with the reconciliated sparrows,’

“With regard to the destruction and consequent results stated to have occurred in Maine and near Auxerre, at present our very best endeavours have failed to find that the statement of this having occurred rests on any authoritative basis; and the only definite notice of the subject which we have found is, that in the neighbourhood of Auxerre there was an injudicious destruction of small birds generally, not only of _Passer domesticus_.” See ‘The House Sparrow at Home and Abroad,’ by Thomas G. Gentry, p. 26, Philadelphia, 1878.”]

_August 22, 1897._

DEAR MR. TEGETMEIER,—But there is a third story—though I name this with more reverence than they always do—the New Testament allusions translated in our version, the “sparrow.” I find in a copy of the “Ecclesiastical Slavonic” Scripture which I have here (the authorised edition of the Russian Greek Church) that the word is _bird_; in the ordinary modern Russian it is sparrow. Unfortunately I do not understand Greek—but this could easily be looked up in the Greek Testament. I am trying to find a scholar who knows what the respective words for bird and sparrow are in Aramaic, which I believe was the dialect of Palestine in the time of our Lord. Mr. Rassam, the explorer, can, I believe, talk a number of these Eastern dialects, but he always told me that he did not enter on them grammatically or technically.

_September 3, 1897._

I see by a local paper that Miss Carrington’s leaflet, “Spare the Sparrow,” is out, and is procurable from the Hon. Sec. of the Humanitarian League, 53, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., price 1d. I have now written to the Hon. Sec., enclosing 8d., and requesting him to send six copies to myself, and two to yourself. This leaflet, I think, will be spirity. There are only a few lines quoted, but if the rest is so discourteous and inaccurate it will not be of much value.

Amongst applicants for my leaflet, the Duchess of Somerset and also Lady Alwyne Compton have asked for copies, which I am glad of. If it were “fashionable” not to protect sparrows this would go far with some people. I am longing to see the reply leaflet. I expect I am roundly abused, but I think it is rather strong to head something or other in the “Animal’s Friend” for September “God Save the Sparrow.” I expect we shall very likely have Maine and Auxerre, and Frederick the Great, and the cherries and cockroaches and the whole story resuscitated!

_September 11, 1897._

The Secretary of the Yorkshire Union of Agricultural Associations asked for some leaflets, and with his consent I have sent him down 2,000 copies, which gives one for each member of the Agricultural Clubs or Chambers in the Yorkshire Union, and the matter is to be brought before the next quarterly meeting, with the view, the Secretary says, of seeing about asking the Board of Agriculture to remove _P. domesticus_ from the list of protected birds. Mr. Crawford wrote me acknowledgment of receipt of the leaflets I sent by his desire to the Board of Agriculture, and said that next week, when the Secretary returns, they will be laid before the Board. I wonder what they will do? Daily applications are running from seventeen or eighteen to thirty—and some very good. To-day I have one from Smyrna and one from Stavanger, Norway.

_September 19, 1897._

The applications are going on so well that I have had to order a fourth 5,000 of the leaflets to be printed as soon as can be managed, and of these over 2,000 are bespoken. A few days ago 3,000 were wanted for a Scotch centre, the Agent-General for New South Wales will send out 500, and other distributions are floating about; I think this is not bad.

_October 16, 1897._

As you will see by the enclosed, I am now working on the twenty-first thousand. I have only about fifty copies left, and Mr. Newman has sent out some of the twenty-second thousand, so I think that we are doing well. One of the largest amounts asked for lately has been 1,000 for the Lancashire County Council, and also a little while ago Lady Aberdeen wrote for a small supply from the Government House, Canada.

_October 27, 1897._

I hope you will be pleased to hear that I have brought our sparrow work under the notice of Mr. [now Sir Ernest] Clarke, Secretary, Royal Agricultural Society—I hope in a way to advance our work. I sent him a couple of the twenty-second thousand, with a sort of report letter, giving some points. Mr. Clarke has replied very courteously that he is much obliged for my interesting letter, which he will lay before the Society’s Zoological Committee. Also that, as he is occasionally asked for the leaflet, it might “save me (E. A. O.) unnecessary correspondence” if he were able to send copies to inquirers. I am delighted to follow up this suggestion—for practically it is the Royal Agricultural Society distributing for us, and thus giving their marked approval. I wonder what will come of the Zoological Committee’s consideration. As the President of the Society has such an exceedingly bad opinion of the sparrow, I hope we may get some good colleagueship. I am perpetually asked how to destroy sparrows, but I refer the inquirers to you. I am longing to hear when your book will come out—surely it will have a good circulation. I am well advanced now in the twenty-second thousand, and the information is well spread, for we have a splendid notice—much more than a column—in the “Madras Mail,” and I have had two applications from scientific U.S.A. centres.

I am still dispensing knowledge about the evil ways of _P. domesticus_ so steadily that I have had to order a sixth impression.

The store of letters grew to such a size that a week or two ago I sent them (excepting about seventy which were to some degree private) in a great parcel to Mr. Janson, and I have arranged with him that this great mass, perhaps of 1,500 or 1,600 letters, should be sorted out into those that are merely applications for leaflets and those which contain any information.

The overwork and worry was too much for me, joined to my bad fall, and I was very far indeed from well for some time with gout and exhausting troubles, but I am better, and regaining strength.

_September 14, 1898._

I most truly think it a great distinction that my name should be associated [on the title-page of “The House Sparrow”] with that of an Ornithologist of such world-wide reputation as yourself, and as it is your wish I very heartily agree. The only alteration I would suggest is that the word “Miss” should be removed. I do not like the word if it is not quite needed; and would it not be well to add a reference to my being an authorised agricultural worker? It may protect me from some “mendacities,” and, a better reason, show that we are attentive to all three of the points (Ornithology, Entomology, and Agriculture) on which anti-passerine observation rests.

I like your frontispiece (figs. C and D, kindly lent by Mr. Tegetmeier) very much. It is very pretty as well as very useful. When your book appears I shall like to get some copies to send to some of my own friends, British and extra-British.

_April 15, 1899._

It was a great pleasure to me to see “The House Sparrow” yesterday, followed this morning by your kind and cordial letter. I like your book exceedingly; it appears to me to be exactly what is needed. Chapter IV. [Diminishing the Sparrow Plague] meets the want which is greatly felt, and your voice being raised against poisoning will do good. I propose to send samples to the Agents-General of South Australia and New Zealand, where the “Avian Rats” are special pests; also to Mr. McKinnon, for the benefit of the Republic of Uruguay.

I think one or two would be well placed in the hands of the Department of Agriculture, U.S.A. I suppose that in an obviously much-needed matter like this it is hopeless to expect our Board of Agriculture to do anything. But I have, besides the above, several centres of work which I hope to make use of.

I do hope that your book will have the success that it deserves, and be of infinite benefit. I like it thoroughly—its pretty dress, the good figures and readable type on strong paper; it is a National gift, in your good and authoritative working up of the subject, and I feel myself honoured to be associated with you in the good work and the pummelling, which I dare say we shall get more of!

With my very kind regards and remembrances, believe me,

Yours very sincerely, ELEANOR A. ORMEROD.