Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1879-12-12
The American Career Of the Sparrow.

row of Europe to our country was
made by gentleman named Desblois,
in Portland, Me-, during the autumn of
1858; he brought over few birds from
the continent, and liberated them in q
large garden which was situated within
the central part of the city. They re-
manned there sheltered and secure I'M
der the caves of neighboring church
throughout the winter, and in the fol-
lowing spring settled down happily
enough to the labor of nest-building
and rearing theiryoung. Two years later
the first pair Of these tinches were set at
liberty near Madison square, New York
city; the importation was steadily re-
peated, the birds being released in the
Central Park and at Jersey City. They
were first introduced to Boston in 1868
by the city Government, and to Phila-
delphia by the municipal authorities in
1869, and from these small beginnings
the house-sparrow has been spread all
over this Northern country wherever
we have city east of the Rocky mount
aims, and the futtering focks of the
robust, noisy little foreigner enliven
the streets thereof in every direction
Their numbers are nearly countless.
The object at first for the introduce
ton of the house-sparrow does not
seem to have been one of practical sug-
gestion, but rather one in the nature of
sentiment. Since, however, the atten-
ton of the citizens was called to the
great nuisance of the existence of can
ker and measure worms in the shade
trees of the old cities of the Union, the
TACT that the house sparrow would re.
main with us all winter, and feed as en-
ergetically upon the worms as any of
our own birds-which always, without
exception, left for warmer climes every
season-the thought of practical appi-
cation took life in encouraging the in
PRODUCTION of the English sparrow as
means of relief more certain than that
afforded by any or all our indigenous
inches. As soon as this became gen.
orally understood, the little John Bull
was distributed with great industry all
over the country for this purpose; but
as sure as it became numerous in any
town or city, spirited opposition
sprung up to it, and exists to-day with
more or less vitality in every section
where the bird is fairly settled. Whole
books have been written pro and con,
and naturalists have waged unrelenting
war upon one another, as they differed
in estimating the value and the services
of Pyrgita donaestica; but, in the judg-
ment of the writer, the entire practical
bearing of the controversy has not been
fully presented by either the friends or
the foes of the little finch, for it must
seem clear enough to those who will
follow the line of argument in this
article that, while the house sparrow is
eminently fit and wonderfully well con-
stituted for life in Northern cities, yet
it is sad rowdy and nuisance in the
country; while in the former case it
renders admirable service in destroying
insect pests that disfgure the shady
venues of city forestry, yet in the lat
ter field it cannot compete with our ma
tive birds in chronological service to
man, and, having given good reason for
dislike on the part of the growers of
fruit, they are doubly incensed because
the law will not allow them to shoot,
trap, or destroy the enemy. -Prof Fl.
". Elliott IN Harper's Magazine.
'sG0ldsmith Maids" Affection.
When Charlie Cochrane, who WIS
for many years the faithful groom for
the celebrated trotter, goldsmith
Maid," arrived from California. wish
ing to see the grand old trotting mare
and her colt, he called on Mr.. Smith,
her owner, to obtain permission to visit
Fashion Stud farm, in New Jersey.
Mr.. Smith accompanied Cochrane to
the farm, and, on arriving, remarked
Charlie, the Maid is very jealous OF
her colt, is very cross, and will permit
no one to approach it," Cochrane ar
ranged that Goldsmith Maid" should
hear his voice before she saw him, and,
although they had not seen each other
for years, a loud whinny presently as.
sured the visitors that the mare had re-
cognized the man. Cochrane next |
showed himself, when touching scene
occurred. The old queen of the turf,
who for months would not allow anyone
to approach her, making use of both
heels and teeth if it was attempted,
rushed with bound to her old friend,
forgetting even her colt, and rubbed her
head upon his shoulder, her nose in his
face, played with his whiskers, and
showed by her every action that her
heart was full of Joy to see him. Di-
rectly the colt came up to them, and
the old mare was delighted when Char
lie placed his hand on the little fellow.
When Cochrane left the place the mare
followed him to the gate, whinn ying
for him even after he had passed out Of
sight. Baltimore SIM.
clay on, Macduff!"
An actor, in the character of Macduff
well known to be an excellent COM
batant-Was one night seized with O