Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1882-04-14
Tie English sparrow.

The rapid increase of the number of En-
glish sparrows throughout the entire coun-
try is causing alarm among those who are
the friends of our native birds, and move.
ments are being set on foot In many local
tiles looking TO the determination of these
vandal birds. Prof. II. B. Roney, OF
Michigan. who has made study of the
sparrow and his habits, says {:
81 would call attention to the necessity
of immediate action to rid our cities and
villages Of that imported pest, the English
sparrow. Once believed to he a valuable
inseclivorous bird, it has been proved be-
yond question by the published reports of
park keepers and public gardeners in Bos.
ton, New York, Baltimore. Louisville, and
other cities, and well known scientis 8
that they are utterly valueless ms insecti-
vorous birds and antagonislic to our recog.
nized sung birds. My own observations
tor the past ten years in the city OF East
Saginaw, convince me that the present
great scarcity oi song and inseclivor0u-
birds in this city, such Nh robins, blue birds
wrens, martins, &c., il due 10 the great in.
crease and aggressive tactics OF their hardy
and pugnncious little enemies, the English
sparrows. / am in favor OF law offering
bounty on the heads OF these lille pc. ts,
believing their determination Il necessity
ON the ground that they are nothing more
or less than vermn, and implacnble enc
mics OF our vnl-able song aud inseclivor.
uus birds. In some OF the Eastern States,
and also IN England, bounlies are now be-
ing paid on the heads Of the English spar
row."
A fruit grower near Cincinnati thus en-
ter. compaint: "a year ago colony
an 0ffshoot from the rOoty, thriving horde
of Cincinnati spairows-made Il settle
ment around an old barn not far from my
home, and there it has been ever since
multiplying ut a rate TO defy computations.
The invaders gorge themselves on the lar
mers'wheat, and then, by way of variety,
make raids upon my garden and devour
the fruit rs fast M it ripens nor can |
prevent il, for these feniiiered Huns and
Vandals take care To make their forays
when nm absent from home.
"Iu self defense have made the diabol-
ical birds II special study the excuse for
their introduction WAS that they were la.
sect,yorous, whereas the very shape 0f
tleir bill proves them to be far less no than
our native birds which they drive away |;
they are as pr0lifc as insects. and there is
no end 10 their greed; with the digestion
of an ostrich u sp 'rrow will deyour twice
his Own weight oi food in day.
EFFECTIVE measures must be adopted or
we will experience the fate Of our cousins
Mt the aniipodes, which is desert bed in a
foreign PAPER somewhat as follows f: "A
few years ago Australia welcomed with
many demonstrations Of joy the arrival OF
few pairs of Eng sparrows. To-day
there il a premium of six pence head
for the little creatures. which have multi
piled to AN amazing extent amid their
congenial surroundings and are great
loss to fruit growers.
81 propose to repeal forthwith all State
and municipal laws for the protection of
the sparrows, TO turn the boys loose on
them with blow .guns, traps, nets. and any
other device for their destruction, and to
make sparrow pie the fashionable dish
on our table,"
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