Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1883-08-04
The Sparrow Again.

10 the Efltor OF HE EVENING STAR:
The relentless attacks of Mr. Elliott Coues
upon the sparrow entit.e him to the well-earned
sobriquet q SparrOwhawk." Our indignant and
revengeful ornithologist rushes to the aid Of
Major Lydecker. and suggests methods of abat-
Ing the much-exaggerated so-called sparrow
nuisance, which it would appear the engineer
ing skill of West Point is at a loss to cope with.
These methods are in keeping with the voca-
fion OF some orntholOgists who, for alleged
scientific purposes, have killed off OF driven away
every ieathered sOngster or rare bird of plumage
Ii this locality. Shame upon any one who would
instruct our youth in the wautOn destruction of
birds. practice il has cost us so much time and
money to suppressl The propositions of Mr.
coues are simply disgusting. far beyond any
nuisance the sparrow is guilty of. Ii we really
have pest among Us that needs radiance the
police and health department will no doubt re-
sort To cI Give nieaIS. and such as are i'm keen
Ing with all enlightened age But in this case
OF the sparrow. / cannot see what the Engineer
Commissioner Is specially called into requisi-
ton Tor II seems to me that il Is "A
question solely for fhc parking commission to
determine whether or not the presence OF the
English sparrow Is a greater nuisance than its
absence The paraiDg commission should have
the say Whethcr not the active little police
lnan OF The tsGE!e.OuS shade trees planted should
or can he Dispensed with. | well remember
when the nuisance of yermn constantly falling
from the spaTsciy planted trees along streets and
In the parks upon my head and shoulders. far
exceeded anything the sparrow is guilty otto
say nothing OF the destruction of our beautiful
einns and naples by the wholesale. Let these
Worins and Insects again infest the numerous
trees now planted at such great eApeise OF
time and money. and. aS in the past no amount
al engineering or archaeological science will re-
move them and save the trees from destruction
The argument OF orIlithOlOgists that the English,
Sparrow drives away all gay plumaged and song
b!rds l. unsOund. Song birds and those of bean
tuu; pluGiI-e never tave been known to inhabit
cities. liz the quiet of fields and forests they
build their nest; whereas the bold little soar-
row feels himself E:Cst al home amidst the busy
maIt5 oi man. The blue Jaw the red bird orioIe
and Eumln!u& bird had left before the sparrow
came-hunted dcwn by wantou gunners and
ornithooasts III the city and suburbs
NOW, IL our learned CrnithulogiSt finds ccr-
taih iaiiitS IN the sparrow, let him, like any in
teiil1c;it stocA raiser. iii consideration of his
useful qualities 10 man. apply himself to i'm
prove the breed Of the English sparrow-by ex-
Perinents IN crossing with birds of song or rare
pinnI;Te-a1o so secure to us q more attractive
bird, adapted To city life as useful rs the spar
row. without his objections. Give first q sub
stitute iOr lie sparrow before You eXtermnata
II. Ia contrast TO Mr.. Coues' measures for ex-
termination. suggest that the Commissioners
oi the District offer premium Of one thousand
dollars fer u satisfactorily tested species of
bird which will live and thrive in a city, and at
the same time preserve o ur trees as effectualiy
from destruction as does the so-caled English
sparrow. and have our park commission be the
judge 10 award the premium. Forw ard then
MI Coues and brother ornithologists; apply
yourselves TO improving the sparrow, and for
once III your lives direct your energies towards
construction rather than destruction
EDwAnns