GOOSEBERRY GREED.
A curious little incident in natural history occurred the other day in my garden. I had transplanted a gooseberry bush, moving it some fifty yards : that and no more. Within two days almost every bud was picked clean out by birds. The boughs showed white spots, and the ground was visibly green beneath them with the relies of the feast. I could see no sign of any other bush being attacked ; and though a number of birds, including tits, finches, especially chaffinch and bullfinch and even sparrows, will on occasions attack buds of many sorts, with plum and gooseberry Hs the favourites, this is not the time of year as a rule when such an unhappy taste overcomes them. The season is open and food plentiful. The buds certainly did not harbour any grub. We have long noticed that the buds of certain plum trees quite close to the house are eaten freely, while other plums are quite immune. The gooseberry bush was transferred into this vulnerable circle. Such is the fact. What is the cause ?
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