The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-18
THE ENGLISH SPARROW.


IN our plea for the protection OF
birds. we wish to make q special
exception against this foreign inter
loper. who has become so great a
favorite with novelty seekers, sim
ply because he is a foreigner and it
is a fashion to run after what IS
foreign. Except IN the densely pop
ulated cities Of the North, where
the ceaseless din Of an ever-moying
throng of men and vehicles had
banished, IN terror, the native den
liens of the woods and fields, leay-
inc the trees and shrubbery of parks
and avenues to be the prey of the
unobstructed caterpillar, there was
no necessity for the presence OF the
English sparrow. In such cities,
his services were thought to be val
liable, because he was the only bird
bold enough to be undlsturbed by
the presence of man, and because,
in the absence Of fruits and grain,
he was compelled, from necessity,
to take to insect diet !; and he may
have done some good IN such
places. There let him stay. We
deprecate his introduction at the
South for several good reasons.
We want no addition to the stock
Of insectiyerous birds. The orni-
biography of the South is rich IN a
large variety of birds whose prey,
in part at least, is insects, and who
combine with that useful character
beauty of plumage and sweetness of
song. If they are protected, which
may be done by the enactment OF
sensible game laws, We need no for
eign aid. If the English sparrow
DESTROYS insects, he also destroys
grain, and earned in Germany SO
bad a character in the latter accom-
plishment that a fine was set on his
head, and he was nearly eXterml-
mated. 1t is true that he was af-
forwards recalled ; but that was
because his bullying and quarrel
some propensities had driven off
all other birds, and when the spar
row was expelled, there was nothing
to combat the insects.
We deprecate the spread of the
English sparrow for this hateful
quality. The charm of our woods,
our groves and our fields is the in
Vulnerable throng of sweet singers
whose melodious notes, through
the livelong year, gladden. the heart
c. man with their joyous notes.
But this truculent foreigner wages
inveterate and successful war against
the peaceful warblers of our woods,
and introduces a dead silence only
broken by his own coars and quar-
relsome chirp.
Nor has he grace or beauty, or
even decent appearance to recon-
mend him. We have seen thOus-
ands Of them III the streets Of Rich
mond-the very picture Of the
seedy, frowzy l%oafer, with feathers
disarranged, and befouled with tho
garbage among which 1t appears to
delight to select its filthy food.
The very name of sparrow is full
Of tender association and agreeable
suggestion. Our own little native
is so neat, SO dainty, SO modest, SC
familiar, so domestic, SO sweet il
song, that it has a place in all af
fections. Even the rude school boy
TO whom every living thing is law
full prey. has Il tender feeling foI
: it, and leaves it unmolested. Blu.
the English sparrow bears abou-
the same relation to its American
namesake that the filthy carrior
| crow, of South Carolina, does K
the neat, trim and respectable look
ing o of u acquaintance, mic,
IN habits, if not much admired b,
the farmer.
, The bird has been introduce,
into Virginia, has been turned loos
| in Raleigh, and we do not know
how many other towns propose t,