New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-22
SPARROWS AND CATERPILLARS.
UNJUST CHARGES AG AINST THE BIRDs-1HE PROS
PECTs OF AN AUTUMN CROP OF WORMS.

UNJUST CHARGES AG AINST THE BIRDS-IHE PROS
PECTs OF AN AUTUMN CROP OF WORMS
The community, irritated beyond expression
by the annoyance OF the countless hosts of the ogya leu
costima the prevalent caterpillar OF the day, has be-
come boodthrsty and demands the of the sparrow
The cry OF Death to the sparrows and sparro"s TO
the pies" making itself heard in the and and In staid
Pennsylvania rewards actually offered by municipal
authorities for the scaps OF these poor BIRDS And all
this because the sparrow refuses to eat the orgyla
these birds able retain advocate to plead their
cause he would not fail to point out that the sparrow
was brought over TO this country from England where
he lives happy and respected to do certain WORK.
namely to e1termnate the measuring worm This work
he performed in the most thorough manner so that at
the present hour measuring worm, which Is only
geometric caterpillar is not TO be found for love or
money The sparrow does not, cannot eat the orgy,
which has punches Of hair in different parts Of its body
that may have singing effect upon tho throat OF the
SPARROW The sparrow Is hungry, voracous and I'm
pudcnt but be cannot eat everything. He draws the
line at orgies" Benevolent people who supply the
sparrows with their daily bread-crumbs cut on their
raons arguing that this would force them to cater
pillar diet. But the scheme failed, and now they
sprinkle their bread upon the sidewalks before feel
ing that they have done their part and the RESPONSE
bility is on the sparrows.
The thoughts of the Park Commissioners have been
turned toward method OF crushing the orgy OBJ
seryaton shown that the trees nearest to drive or
road or spot always attacked more
yehenently by these wretched incpient lepidoptera
When they have stripped the tree completely Of its
leaves men and boys have been engaged to strip the
cocoons from the twgs These can be easily detected
when the tree is bare because the female gums Win
ysed secretion leaf over her patch OF eggs and these
can readily be detected and removed, that the full
brood will be diminished TO that extent. But the cases
are rare where trees completely barred OF their
I'm Madls0n- Unt0u-sQu2re and
the Battery there horse chestnuts which are leaess
by greater number OF trees have been attacked
their lower branches and the only perforated leaves
are which nearest to the grond Here would
be difficult to remove the eggs which the female lays
invariably upon the from which she emerged as
moth She pendent to this when born, and after
impregnaon by the male which dies about lays hereggs
upon this COCOON and thon hides them with lear hich
she bends and fastens down With this viscd Sc
cieon Then she dies. The male moth II not eaten by
some bird the end OF the and desin october
Ike the Jolly fellow of the English song To hunt for
these eRg-covered will be hard task until
the leaves have fallen. Then upon the other hand
the caerpiars Of the second crop will speedily emerge
from their eggs for they hatch out In from ten TO twenty
DAYS after deposition, and they Will surely devour ali
that the first crop has spared. -,
To return TO the sparrows IL has been said that they
drive away other BIRDS from the parks But any one
who visits Central will observe the saucy sparrows
associating In the most friendly way with American
birds. The robins fit the lawns, receiving
great mark OF Difference from their assisted lmmi-
grants" Some who own cherry trees have been
known TO robins over their whskeY ana 10 say
Gimme sparrers In mine every hop" but no doubt the
robU does IA much good harm, and IL he eats few
cherries, earns them fairly. Near the OLD Armory In
Central Park there many small birds, especially
yellow fnches or yellOwhammers which knock about
the sparrows whenever there Ia quarrel though, as
rule peace prevails.