Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-12-28

The following gives the views of an expert"
upon the veXed sparrow question::

The following gives the views of an expert"
upon the veXed sparrow question:
Major ". j. Tiriaing, Office Of District CommiS-
si0Hers, Washington, ID. c.:
DEAR SIR:-AS my letter to Or. Elliott CoueS.
stating, from the chronological standpoint,
certain facts on the sparrow question that are
not generally known OF recognized, has been
made the occasion OF considerable miSappre-
henSion and some abuse, l take the liberty OF
publicly stating TO you, in as few words as pos
sibe. my real position on the subject.
AS an ornithol0gist, presume there are few
men in the city who have a greater apprecia-
tion of birds generally than DR.. CoueS: and ii
he does not extend that appreciation TO the
Imported sparrow, he certainly has good rea-
sons, If facts and not sentiment be considered.
a lover OF our native birds cannot witness
without ell-warranted regret the effect which
tie Importation OF the sparrow has had upon
many of them. America has certainly not
gained in the practical determination of the
black rat blythe spread Of the more destructive
and annoying Norway rat that usurped its
place; and the same holds true OF other indigo
nous animals that have lost their ground in
contact and competition wita introduced Spe-
cies. The entomologist who reflects that by far
the worst insect pests of American agriculture
are importationS from Europe. or the bOtaniSt
who notes that the large majority of the weeds
that annoy the American cuitivatOr are like
wise foreign subjects, will be inclined to weigh
more calmly and seriously the sparrow question
than the toWnsnan not familiar with these
facts.
For my own part will concede to no one
greater general appreciation OF the feathered
tribe. AS an entOmologiSt. | have years ago
affirmed my belief that, aside from their CON-
panionship to man, and their direct utility TO
him. they may be looked upon as GOd-app0inted
guards over the vegetable kingdom, which,
without their constant surveillance. would 50
far Succumb to the attacks OF yoraci0uS insects
as to upset the present state of things upon this
telraqueOuS globe and renderit scarcely habta-
Die to man. This general appreciation, how
ever, does not blind lie 10 the fact that many
birds at times become downright pests to the
farmer and frt!it-grOWer. There is an immense
amount CT sentiment wasted on the subject by
those who do rot observe closely. or whose eX-
pefience does not range beyond the walls OF
city. For many years familiar with the spar
row in England. France and Germany. 1 have
watched its rapid multiplication in this country
with much interest; and while love to see it
III its proper place. and believe that within
limits, 1t is desirable In our cities, cannot Shut
my eyes 10 its past history, nor to the facts that
ale against it and that should not be lost sight
OF In dealing with 1t in America. Ia my letter
to Dr.. CoueS, which he did me the honor TO ad-
dress to you, expressly stated that / did not
care to enter into the general controversy re-
garding this bird; because recognize that SEN
timent as well as fact must have consideration,
and that those who find pleasure in the bold
familiarity OF the little chatterer, among whom
include myself, have a right to be heard as
wen as those who look deeper into the facts
and see the bare Jruth-the effect the foreigner
has on some Of our native birds, and the harm
II Is capable OF doing when unduly encouraged.
The lines OF the late poet Bryant have fixed in
the popular mind the false idea that the 80 little
Turk - or Plum CurculiO. the I" Army worm, the
Hessian fly, Thrips, Slugs, Fruit moths and
every other nOXious insect pest will be thwarted
and destroyed by this imported bird
And fsirer haryests shall crown the year
For the Old.world sparrow at last is here.'
Stern reality tells us, however, that, with the
exception Of the canker-wOrm, not one of the
species mentioned in the poets verse is ever
touched by the English sparrow, and l hope
that the facts already communicated to you re-
garding the Sparrow vs. the Canker-wOrm are
sufficient TO show that even in this connection
IL has been OF comparatively little benefit as a
defolia1ors of our own Washington city shade
trees are the elm-eaf beetle (galerncd cdlnarien-
saS), the bag-worm {hWidoptergr ephen,ere-
.tornsis), and the green maple-worm (aisisota ru-
6fcuadd), and abundant as the sparrowS have
become, these pests continued their depreda-
tons last summer unmOleSted. | might give
you many other facts Of this kind that tell
against the sparrow as useful or desirable
Bird but am far from recommending its total
eXtermnation on this account any more than
would wish some OF our native birds eXtermin-
ated because they occasionally take more than
their toll OF our grains and fruits.
TO sum up my own views Of this sparrow
question: / consider it useless to attempt the
determination of the bird. 1t is now established
among u.s. and no measures that can be practi-
cally adopted would ever lid us entirely of it,
even were such riddance desirable In the
country the bird will at times become griev-
Gus pest here, as it has been in Europe, and
farmers, for self-protection, will, ever and anon
have to systematically destroy it. l would
therefore, like TO see it take its chances with
our native birds, thing which it is abundantly
capable OF doing; and corporations should not
In my Judgment, encourage its undue multipli-
cation, by providing shelter and resting places
beyond what the bird may naturally find. You
will see, therefore, that am not in favor OF ex-
termination, but simply of not encouraging it
unduly by providing artificial shelter I am,
sir, respectfully yours. CIV. RILEY
Entomologist, Department Agriculture, Chief
L. s. Ent. Comm.
Washington, D. c., Dec oath, 1873