, 1880-07-24
THE ENGLISH SPARROW.

A Defense of I&-It Does Not Drive
Away Native BlrdA or DO Mischief.
OLD WEsfnUnY, L. T., juno 1s.-Etii0r Popular
Selenee Monthly: As the habtta aud value Of
tho English sparrow arc now being lnyestt-
gated in various parts Of Tho COUNTRY. sut,-
nit tho results Ut my own observations mudo
during tho last three or four years, or since tho
bird became abundant In this locality. Tho
chnrge frequently made. thut tho English spur
raw drives our nutlvc birtls from their accus.
toned huunts docs not appty 10 this vicinity.
The 6parrtWA uric worry nlltt1erOuE. nrc noisy, and
sometimes aggressive In their habits, but up
pear to quarrel tnore Atn0ng themselves than
with other species OF birds. ! have not mo-
ticed any superior combatIyo power which
would cnnhtu them 10 DO thAt which thoy
urc chutgcd with dolng. They are With us dur.
Ing the yeur.-,!bout our grounds and dwa!lings
tckadess thH atc &C. Tss3y i n
conflict or dispute among them. During tho tn-
cleluont wcatherof winicr feed tho birds fr7,-
helr movements with grnat intercst. j hayo
not sccn II dispute In thUr efforts to obtain tho
coveted food. Tho woodpeckers and ctlSkadnea
sceds which Bcnttcrea.,
Nor hayu noticed any considerable contro-
xcsy az The ,, SIs @ hrs grs The
turlatscs occurs, tho bli1ci,irds iuilns other
i
ilotIced. however, that tho hluebitls aro naaters
Of tho situation when y struggle takes plaec
for iii en,pty n,x. At this writing. hlacGirds.
tior ncss On ,ny grounds, ind equally 50 Of, 1',o
grounds II othcfs III unr Neighh:rlond. ! hAvo
si1ort til Jstasce of my dWc,lins. Kobii,4. black:
btr1s, cat -plrls or0cs, wnrblcrs. .tnctGs, ind
tly-cntcbcrs Ut mnny kinds Hre oil hbout Iii, very
mulch moro numerous than thoS we're Ia our
All hIrls ot spcoics which toye tho shat,o OF tho
woodlands Asp, Of eourse, nndlstnr6cd w spat-
s,sn c3i lie % Soresss. H Nor viii il BE- '.ame ,Ii
larxcr bIrds, sch ~ the roI!,,, sutlor from tho
awlilow Is nsnnng tho most per.corul nnl urlnb.
ir,istvc ot birls. a,1l yet II toes not seen e be
~ my Kreat fgr Gt tho aiitr,uwK. hs tt!o lnlioH
snuicctl building nest unFur Il shod ~ my
Premises, bnt spArrow w'.s soon sco ststiilE on
se Sr 3hs su"K otor syt
within fow foct 1t tug trst, aud no fnrthor us;
tl1rbue took plnch. . Thu ntst wus tiilshttl n'itl
driven our na.Iso birds away, neitl,er hMve
they Ktvon uausu fur n1iy setto!is colt
lMns ~ % assgu"t ,or, o, ,, ucst'Eoyx +, s1, o, nor
pluvcs. think, Il, this particulnr, Il would l,u
VOL tor poople to etssrve carefully FOR theili-
ss,s Ss ,oshs M % q fccd eS' o ii I'll 'i nsas
throw. frtinl stxhles, or scattered elsewhere. but
tll spring aptl summer have scGM then eArry!n&
stateuty and tu thrKo quantities, th0 supply
consisting largely az ,lseeta, lary,u. *orns etc
] llnyo aeon them catrh Insccta on tho w!ug III
lillye MT observed TINT they cut berries.
gEnpps Or Dthur small fruits but hAru segn thots,
picking tho sort grains Ut swnutcorn. II thatr
fH,l werG scanty ur nts.lltMble, 1t ls pn!babtc
tllat tl,ey would feed tnorn IN tho yniuAhlo
Krulns. Tho D!rtis which do tni,sk lnnlaYo tn
farmers In this vicinity are blaukoIr rubus,
oit-b!r'ls, and few nther sposlos which food nti
churres, blnckburrss, KrHps, Aiaa similar fruits
swarm, with these b.rls. but VIZ hrnr af tlu ptvIl
dlca n9alnst them M that MccnAnt, Wl!lo tho
spArrnWH nrc frealy condonli,eu for Ike ntyenscH.
Respectfully, JOHN u. lilExb