The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-01-29
THE ENGLISH SPARROW.
LSTEREyTXB6 GENERATIONS As TO
FEE LITTLE NUISANCE.
When They First Came to This Country.
Thor Roguish Propensities-How
They Make Their Eggs Hatch.

| English sparrows were turned loose, and
allowed to keep house unmolested. In ten
years time the family and descendants
would number something like thirty bill
lion. Whether this be true or not the
feathered biped certainly increases his
family circle at an alarming rate. and
the bird has gotten to be a nuisance, in
stead Of blessing.
The first pair Of these birds introduced
into this country made their debut in
New York city in 1866 Several other
importations were made soon after this.
and couple Of the foreigners were put
In the Capitol Square in this city. The in
tentions of him v no introduced the young
sters were good, but the results OF the
| birds habitation have proven quite the
opposite.
| The English sparrow has a great deal Of
| cheek. He has never learned the distinc-
ton between n.eum and teum. Like not
few society men in the world, he fire.
| quently takes liberties. and anything
within his reach that he thinks will prove
beneficial to him he at once appropriates
with as much coolress and elaboration
as did Justice Johns latest petit larceny
victim.
The doctrine about his destroying cank-
er worms and other injurious larvae is
sound, to be sure. but It is nothing but
sound, for the sparrow Is almost exclu-
sively a town bird, and In towns he can
easily supply himself with daintier
menu than caterpillars. worms, etc. The
result is that he destroys comparatively
| few OF these.
His propensity for scratching up newly
Gaadc committing dpnra1a ffOnQ
grain fields and destroying fruit of vari-
| Gus kinds Is too well known for further
comment. In some vicinities the authori-
| ties offer two cents per beah for everyone
| brought them, and the small boy makes
| half his pin money Staying the little pests.
The English sparrow is a monopolist.
| He does not believe in sharing the town
| with other birds. In short, he wants the
earth, and II he could get IL he would per-
NIT no such thing as immigration. There
| was a time when hooking birds, cat birds,
thrushes and other warbling songsters
| were quite numerous In Richmond. Now,
| | rarely see one, except occasionally In
| one of the cemeteries or on the suburbs
| of the city, where the sparrow has not
assumed absolute control. The beak of
the latter is heavy, thick and sharp, and
| consequently he can knock out most of
| the other birds in few rounds
The sparrow is an experienced rogue
have seen him steal with as much eau
ton and skill as though he had been
| carefully trained in the art OF larceny
Some people believe that birds have
souls. This is a question Of psychology
and cannot be decided here. But IL the
sparrow should be more for
tunate than some women In
this respect, it is certain that
he will never get 10 Heaven, wings though
l. (A,- III L.. 81.
merous and glaring to gain him admit
tance.
1t is really wonderful how rapidly
this bird accumulates. He is a mathema-
tician, and he can multiply with a far
greater degree OF rapidly than an expert
bOOkkeeper.
On the caves of many OF the houses in
the city have been placed wire netting in
order TO keep out the intruder. But he
has gotten In by some means, and availed
himself of portions Of the wire in erecting
his dwelling.
The bird is incorrigible. You cannot
keep him down. He is ubiquitous. He
effects an entrance into all public and
private places, and has no scruDles in
attending, unurged wherever he takes a
notion.
But word about the multiplication
propensities OF the bird: Less than thir-
ty years ago there was not one OF them
In this country. During a period Of about
twenty-seven years the English sparrow
has spread to such an extent that he now
probably outnumbers any other species
in America. At any rate, he multiplies
far more rapidly than any other species
In this section of country.
And there are several reasons for this.
First, the sparrow runs no serious risks
Of starving. He is town bird, and rarely
finds much difficulty in supplying himself
with provisions in the shape Of waste
matter. Then, there is little danger Of the
birds freezing He is a house bird, and
finds sufficient shelter around the caves
OF houses, where he Is protected from
snow and bad weather generally. An
other reason still is the fact that his
anatomy is probably as tough as pig
iron. Whom the gods love die young"
but the sparrow's term Of life is remarka-
bly, long Nothing less than a serious
railroad accident or a landslide such as
the last Presidential election proved to be
will close his career.
have seen the small boy shoot into a
crowded congregation OF the birds with
a shotgun at distance of TWEEN
ty-five yards, and though the birds were
struck, as evidenced by the number OF
feathers shed, each one OF the fowls
ItUlONtQ HIS lltilit Will do mum iiiiHN7
dence as though he were ridiculing the
skill of the youthful sportsman.
But the most powerful factor in the
rapid accumulation is the fact that the
birds in most instances do not take time
to hatch their own eggs. The setting
process is left 10 the young birds, who,
though totally inexperienced in the sub
ject Of Matching are pressed into service
at an early date. and serve the purpose
- ~
the first set of eggs is Matched. another
set is at once laid in the same nest, and
the young birds placed upon these. The
warmth from the bodies serves 10 hatch
the eggs equally as well as IL the parents
themselves did the Matching.
When the second set Of eggs ire hatched
the older children are ready 10 scufile for
themselves. and they leave the nest.
Just as before another set Of eggs are
deposited beneath the second brood which
acquit themselves similarly 10 their pre-
decessors, and so on ed nfinitum. l have
found in the same sparrow's residence
brood OF young birds just ready TO leave
home. another brood pceping out upon the
world for the first time while a fresh
set of eggs had been a few days before
deposited beneath the younger birds,
showing that the Matching process is put
upon the children. who accomplish the
work with much system and Satistac-
ton as If their parents had staid at
home from the free lunches about town,
and at least exercised u sort Of super
vision over domestic affairs.
Unless some plan is devised for check
ing this multiplication on the part OF
the sparrow, the latter will become
serious nuisance. The bird is here, and
he proposes to stay. If the people will
rise up. hold an indignation meeting. and
decide 10 feed the fowl on Trough on