Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-10
THE SPARROW PLAGUE.
BIRDS THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE
WHEREVER THEY GO.
History Of the Feathered Colonizers-A
Curse to Farmers In England and America
Their Rapid Increase In Numbers-Laws
for Their determination

Their Rapid Increase In Numbers-Laws
for Their determination.
Were il not for the serious interest involved
the recent history Of the sparrow would al
most be diverting. From the time when
Catullus lamented the death of Lesbias pet
up TO now the common little bird, whether
leading n sooty existence ION the housetop
lonely" or out in the open, has inspired a GER
tain neutrality-suspicious. affection, a dimin-
ished form of the feeling that made Burns
turn the weeder-clips aside and spare the
thistle II has always been associated in the
mind Of the English and Scotch colonist with
home. Far away in Australia and New Yea
land, As well as in America, the eziled Euro
pesn used forty years ago to long in vain for
the sound Of its cheerful ckirp and a sight of
its familiar feathers. Indeed, this patriotism
went 50 far that a vast amount Of energy
was expended in order To acclimatize 1.-THE
amateur naturalist little dreaming of the
plague it promised 70 become.
During the fifty years intervening between
1881 and 1881 no fewer than sixteen attempts
were made in as many different places TO in
troduce the bird to the States. Nor was sem
timent the only motive at work IL was Wig
orously asserted that the sparrow was faith
ful ally OF the farmer and a wholesale de-
~ourer OF insects. For a length Of time the
experiment proved an utter failure; but in
1852 the Brooklyn Institute took the matter
up, committee was formed and over $40
subscribed TO induce the sparrows 20 emf
CRATE.
Probably encouraged by such an overflow
OF kindness, this time they settled down in
real earnest to the work OF colonization. AS
soon a few of them became accustomed to
the climate they built nests and spread and
multiplied over the face of the earth until, in
the words Of a recent agricultural report,
fhey in 1886 occupied an area of SS6, 900 square
titles and were still increasing From Maine
10 Kansas the sparrow holds the field. Ii
flutters round the home of the copper miner
in Arizona, and it is familiar among the
ranches Of Mexico. archaeological history
does not record any other such swift multi
plication as that Of the sparrow between 1875
and the present time.
One OF the most curious things about 1t is
that once il gets established in "a foreign land
it adapts itself with wonderful rapidity alike
TO extremes Of heat and cold. And it is one
OF those birds which are not easily Hurried
by an accident IL will go to sleep in an
empty railway carriage, to be transported
hundreds OF miles without visible discompos-
haunts the sparrow makes no attempt at
housing. II settles quietly where the train
stops and establishes a colony there. To this
habit New Brunswick owes its present wealth
OF sparrows.
The development of such an abnormal apt
itude for reproduction has had the effect Of
entirely changing the attitude of the public
toward the sparrow. Whereas, few years
ago, it was cheaper to import the bird from
England than to buy it in New York, re-
ward is paid for their destruction. For it
has been proved beyond question that, far
from being a friend of the farmer, the spar
row is his bitter enemy. Indeed, there is no
longer any doubt Of that, even at home,
where farmers and gardeners complain of an
increase almost rs noteworthy as that in
America.
The farmers of the north OF England have
combined TO pay the destroyers of their eggs,
and the necessity for a similar organization
In the Midlands has been mooted. Where
they are In large numbers there is scarcely
any limit 20 the mischief they are capable of
doing, and men who are not prone TO exag-
gerate declare that on the headands, which
are in proximity to such cover as "a thick
hedge, the crop is frequently reduced to the
extent of 50 per cent. Their breeding season
Is over just before the corn begins TO grow
yellow, and brood joins TO brood till the crop
is Vulnerable by thousands.
When disturbed il one part they remove
70 another, and although tremendous slaugh
ter may be accomplished by wide muzzled
gun charged with sparrow drift, they soon
get too artful 70 expose themselves TO many
shots Of that kind, the old cock giving the
alarm as soon Us an approach is made.
In Great Rritain the iperaasa -
due 10 two causes. Although the sparrow is
not included in the schedule Of the wild bird
protection act, it shares indirectly In the i'm
munity provided by that measure, AS coun-
try people who have never seen the act com
monty interpret wild birds" as meaning all
wild birds. Secondly, In the days anterior 10
the issue Of gun licenses, cottagers reduced
the number 10 protect their own little gar
dens, and there were plenty of humble sports
men ready, for the fun of the thing, TO shoot
them for the farmer. Besides, sparrow shoot
ing from traps was the ordinary rural sport
OF holidays. Then, again. facilities for their
breeding are enlarged by the gradual depopu-
lation Of the remote districts.
1t Is not In the fields alone, however, that
the sparrows are mischievouS The gardener
has even more reason than the farmer to de-
sire, II not their determination at all events
4 diminution OF their number. During early
spring they seem TO have a special liking for
the tender young vegetables, and pull them
up Immediately they thrust their first shoots |
through the mold-peas, lettuces, cabbage |
plants and beets bsing especial favoriteS |
They also play havoc with the fruit trees and |
ielight to nip the buds OF gooseberry bushes,
Deach and pear trees. Indeed, they are natu- |
-ally 30 restless that II they have nothing else
% do, and are not hungry, flock will de-
troy fruit or vegetables apparently for mere |
amusement.
In California they are charged with an |
'ffense even more dire. They do 50 much
iarrn to the vines In the grape growing dis
riots that We are told, unless steps are taken
% wipe out the pest at the earliest possible
moment, the result probably will entail a loss
70 the state Of many thousands If not millions
a sAs.lA-r-."
Nor can 1t be said that the case against the !
sparrow rests on indefinite evidence or care
less observation. Some time ago Professor
Riley examined the crops OF SD birds sent to
the American Department OF Agriculture.
and, as a consequence, found nothing what
sver TO say for them. In only forty-seven did |
he find noxious: insects. while useful insects
were found in 40, and harmless insects in 81; |
but 30 had been dining of oats, a on maise. 81
on fruit, and 2l9 had Undetermined vege-
table matter in their stomachs. Nor is that
all
While the examination was going on,
America was suffering from a number OF
baleful insect pests, with none OF which did
the sparrow seem to have interfered-no elm |
leaf beetle, no bagworm, no hissoch moth had
formed part of their food The case against
The sparrow In America seems to he, there
fore, that It exacts a maximum of wages for |
\ minimum Of useful work. Not only SO. but |
i attacks the nests of the swallow, and is |
blamed for the dimnution Of this beautiful |
and nnqnestionably insectivoroua bird In the |