Wichita eagle., 1890-01-12
Daily eagle
THE SPARROW PLAGUE.
BIRDS THAT ARE DESTRUCTIVE
WHEREVER THEY GO.


WHEREVER THEY GO.
History of the Festhered Colonizers-A
Curse to Farmers in England and A merica.
Their Rspid Increase in Numbers-Laws
for Their determination.
We're 1t not Tor the serious interest involved
the recent history Of the sparrow would al
most be diverting. From the time when
Catullus lamsnted the death of Lesbla's pet
up to now the common little bird, whether
leading sooty existence son the housetop
lonely" or out Ia the open, has inspired a GER
tain seni-contemptuous affection, diInln-
ished form Of the feeling that mede Burns
turn the weeder-clips aside and spare the
thistle. 1t has always been associated IN the
mind Of the English and Scotch colonlst with
home. Far away in Australia and New lea
land, Is well as in America, the eZiled Euro
pean used forty years age TO long IN vain for
the sound Of its cheerful chirp and sight of
its familiar feathers. Indeed, this patriotism
went 50 far that vast amount of energy
was expended in order to acclunatze 1.-THE
amateur naturalist little dreaming Of the
plague 1t promised to 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 SEN
timent the only motive at work. 1t was Wig
orolsly asserted that the sparrow was faith
ful ally of the farmer and wholesale de-
vourer of insects. For length Of time the
experiment proved an utter failure; but in
1862 the Brooklyn Institute took the matter
IN. a committee was formed and over e40
subscribed to induce the sparrows to 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 as q few OF them became accustomed to
the climate they built nests and spread and
Yrultiulied over the face of the earth until in
the words of recent agricultural report,
they in 1886 occupied an area of $50, 900 square
miles and were still increasing. From Maine
to kansas the sparrow holds the field. 1t
futters 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 it is
that once it gets established in 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. 1t will go to sleep in an
empty railway carriage, to be transported
hundreds of miles without visible discompos-
ure Unlike birds which have well marked
haunts the sparrow makes no attempt at
housing. 1t settles quietly where the train
stops and establishes 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
ntirely 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, a re-
ward is paid for their destruction. For it
has been proved beyond question that, far
from being 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 as noteworthy as that in
America
The farmers Of the north of England have
combined to pay the destroyers of their eggs,
CTTalEaCOn
In the Midlands has been mooted. Where
they are In large numbers there is scarcely
any limit to the mischief they are capable of
doing, and men who are not prone to exag-
gerate declare that on the headIands. which
are In proximity to such cover as a thick
hedge, the crop IS frequently reduced TO the
e1tent Of 50 per cent. Their breeding season
is over just before the corn begins TO grow
-, l.
is Vulnerable by thousands.
When disturbed in one part they remove
TO another, and although tremendous laugh.
ter may bo accomplished by a wide muzzled
gun charged with sparrow drift, they soon
get too artful 10 expose themselves to many
shots Of that kind, the old cock giving the
alarm as soon Us an approach is made.
In Great Britain the increase seems to be
due to 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 to
the issue Of gun licenses, cottagers reduced !
the number % protect their own little gar
aens, end 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-
Iation Of the remote districts |
It is nos Ia the fields alone, however. that |
the sparrows are mischievous The gardener
ras even more reason than the farmer to de- |
sire, not their determination, at all events |
4 diIni1utlon OF their number. During early |
spring they seem 10 have q special hiking for |
ths tender young vegetables, and pull them |
Up Immediately they thrust their first shoots |
through the rsold--peas, lettncee, cabbage |
plants and beess beng especial faverites. |
They also play havoc with the fruit trees and /
delight TO nip the buds o. gooseberry bushes.
peach and pear trees. Indeed, they are natu-
rally SO restless that il they have nothing else
10 do, and are not hungry, a flock will de-
stroy frust or vegetables apparently for mere
In California they are charged with an
,ffenss even more dire. They 90 50 much
larm 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 win entail a loss
o tho state OF many thousands if not millions
# dollars"
Nor can il be said that the case against the
parrow rests on indefinite evidence or care
ess observation Some time ago Professor
Riley examined the crops Of see birds sent to
be American Department of Agriculture,
md, as consequence, found nothing what
yer 10 say for them. In only forty did
lie find noxioass insects, while useful insects
we're found in 70, and harmless insects in 81;
'us Sef had been dining of oats, Il on maise, 81
N fruit, and 2lp had undetermined yege-