The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-07-09
MEASURING WORMS.

THEIR REAPPEARANCE IN THE CITY--wHAT AM
THE sPARRows ABoUT?-AN OLD PEST.
For the FIRST time In nine years the measuring
worms, which once ON a time were such period
ical nuisance in this city, have made their reap
pearance in somewhat threatening quantities.
We can all remember the tine when to walk
through one OF the city parks ON summer daI
was walk Of difficulty and annoyance Iu 1891
the English sparrows began to be imported In
large numbers, and 1t was found that In neigh.
borhoods where they were numerous the measur-
ing worm completely disappeared. and 1t was
seen that the sparrows found the eggs of these
pests peculiarly toothsome morsel. Since tina,
time we have not suffered from them and IT. al
rare intervals, one OF them made his appearance
he was quickly devoured IN thousand declous
morses, with which the piucky little BIRDS res
called themselves.
This summer however, and particularly wfthin
the past lew days, the measuring worms have
threatening numDer than Is agreeable. As YET
only the Battery Park seems to nave been visited.
In certain portions OF this pleasure ground one 10
apt 10 Walk up against some OF these vicious
clammy insects, ana they appear TO thrive with.
out much mOlestattOn from their usual and
natural enemies. SOn.e few danglc from the
branches, others are on the ground ana ara
constantly trodden under foot by those VINO pass
Inc writer did not note the presence OF many
Eparr0wS around, but as 1t was during the heat oil
the day TINS was not at all surprising. still
IL appears that the sparrows arc much less
numerous than elsewhere, whether 10 Is that
their arlsocratc natures cannot brook the pres
ence OF so many emlgrants. or whether IL is that
boys and emIgrants both, around here, are In the
haDit Of stoning the birds without much moleSta'
ton does not appear as the reason OF their migra-
ton, put 1t is proDably the latter. There can be
no cOubt that they are less protected here tnan
elsewhere In the CITY, and as stoning sparrows Is
one OF the most mvorlte delights OF boynood IN
foreign coun ries they suffer from the pressure Of
such foreign boys mere. But another reason Is
also given for the fact that the sparrUws do not eat
the worms which Is that our citizens, and particu.
larY the wives OF our citizens, are much too Iond
OF giving these birds food III the shape OF seed ana
bread crumbs. IL IS held by many that this makes
the birds lazy and lndlsposed to do the work for
which our PARK Commissioners specially designed
them. IL IL evidently mistake 10 overleed tho
BIRDS, and so The PARK commissioners have often
stated. The writer called upon them yesterday,
and. IN conversation with one Of the employees,
learned that the notice of the department had
been called TO TINS matter ana that the reason OF
tue number oil worms at the Battery waS no
doubt, the act OF the sparrows being driven
away. They dld not appear TO nave increased to
any remarkable extent elsewhere. The season
had no DOUBT been very favorable TO their growth
and they increased so fast that, even with the
multitude OF sparroWs we now had, some few
might be IN existence lew days before berg ex.
terminated. Yet there was not The sIigntegt
/ danger oil their becoming common ana annoyi
! again. The sparrows would take care Of that