“But you must admit that both you and the rat are increasing in numbers, and, therefore, in destructiveness. What is to be the end of it?”
“The end of it will be that you will preserve our enemies instead of shooting them at sight.”
“Meaning?”
“Hawks, owls, weasels, and so on.”
“But hawks would never come near the towns?”
“We aren’t in town the whole year round. Even the cockneyest of sparrows has his month or two in the cornfields. I don’t mind telling you that one of the reasons we have for clinging to human habitations is that we are thus sure of sanctuary. Our natural enemies will always be welcomed with a gun. They know that, too, and keep away. Make it an offence to kill a bird or beast of prey, and you will see a difference in the rats and sparrows.”
“What about the pheasants?” said I.
“There would be fewer pheasants,” said the sparrow; “and, if you only knew it, they would taste better, if there were.”
you have been shot at.