The Monitor. [volume] (Woodstown, N.J.) 1884-1892, 1889-08-16
WAR ON THE SPARROW.

has just been distinguished by the publca-
ton of a book of over 400 pages written
about him in his relation to agriculture in
North America. Its showing is anything
but favorable to him. The work is issued
from the United States Department of Ag-
riculture and was prepared by Walter B.
Barrows, assistant ornithologist. He and
his assistants collected reports from 3, 300
observers of the habits of the birds in thirty
one States where the sparrows were estab-
lished and increasing in number.
The year 1860, was the one in which the
foreign chirper, who banishes sleep at the
first appearance of daylight, first honored
America with his presence through the aid
of Nichols Pike and other directors of the
| Brooklyn Institute, who imported eight
pairs. For awhile the bird did not thrive.
The climate didn't appear to suit them.
More were brought over couple of years
later, ana SO precious were the lives of the
plump and saucy fellows deemed that when
they were turned loose in Greenwood Gem
etery man was hired to watch them.
IN GREAT DEMAND.
They soon became at home and people
wanted sparrows. 1t was ''sparrows" all the
time, and citizens who believed themselves
public benefactors caused their gardens
aud housewalis to suddenly blossom out
with lot of boxes and invited settlements
by generous supply of crumbs and small
seeds. The birds accepted the invitations
and accommodations at once, but their de-
structive nature soon caused curtailment
of both provender and free house rent.
Then the little rascals were compelled to
| shift for themselves. They refused to cat
| insects, sending pang of disappointment
to the hearts of those who in their ignor-
ance had classed them as insectivorous
birds. The slugs and caterpillars were
i left severely alone, the measuring worm
alone having any attraction for their for
eign palates. Then, boxes being unayail-
able, ivyclad walls and house caves were
selected wherein to build nests, and ere
long the vines were ruined by the fierce
fights INDUCED in from early morn to dewy
eve. Filth became another annoyance and
property was badly damaged.
The sparrow is a wonderfully rapid breed
cr. Mr.. Barrow's estimate of the rate of
increase is rather startling although he
bases his calculations rather upon the what
mightha been principle. He estimates that
one pair of birds will produce twenty-six
of their species the first year, and follow
ing the years up to ten will at the end of
decade have given to the world the amazing
number of 10,215, ZIG, 963, Cos descendant
sparrows. That is provided that all are
Matched alive, which they do not, thanks to
cats, wicked little boys, and men who trap
them for shooting purposes. Mr.. Barrows,
by more moderate computation. fixes the
number at 80, Ga birds from twelve pairs
in five years, which is nearer the truth than
the big figures given at first. With this
| rapid increase the sparrow evidently con-
cluded that he anted all the United States,
if not the earth, for feeding ground The
bluebirds, robins and other feathered song
sters had to go. There wasn't enough feed
to 60 around, consequently fierce warfare
was declared, and nearly everything in the
small bird line except the sparrow went
from the cities and their neighborhood.
The other birds were conquered and Danish
ed by superior numbers and beat a retreat
into the country.
JoURNEYING OFF ON FREIGHT CARS.
Even then the fighting little English
bully was not satisfied. According to the
report, he resorted to the methods of the
genus tramp and journeyed to rural scenes
on top of freight cars or inside of those
containing grain. When a place was
found that suited him he gathered his fam
lily together and HE'D him to barns and
farmhouse roofs or porch copings and
built nests, making life miserable for the
agriculturist. The first week or month
was devoted to driving off other birds, and
this accomplished, he began on the fruit
tree blossoms. They are eating insects,
may be they'll do US good, after all, - con-
Guided the innocent farmer; but the spar
row wasn't doing that sort of business.
III Was lUS6ciieSS DlCsSOfnS alone ne cOfeJ-
ed, and he secured them in profusion, 10
such an extent, in fact, that fewer barrels
of apples and pears or crates of peaches
went to market. In the early autumn he
also finished up considerable number of
apples selecting the finest ones and nip
ping out a section of each large enough to
render them unfit for anything but the
cider mill or hog feed. Grape buds he
also delighted liz, and lots of wheat and
other seeds came up in single day and
found resting place in the craws Of the
marauders at every spring or fall sowing.
Generous portions of oats, barley and rice,
as well as vegetables, shared the same fate
OF the wheat the sparrow suffered TO re-
main in the ground he spoiled much by
eating when the heads were forming or
ripe for the harvest.
HOW HE HAS SPREAD.
In fifteen years the birds are said to have
managed to spread throughout the United
States at the average rate of $4,000 square
square miles per year, but this average
rate is evidently misleading, because
L