The Eddy current., 1898-10-22
rHn spAnnow AMo 20 rRour
rning the Enri'sh Bird snd tue
EnalIah Imporlsd TI.h.

concernine the Enri'sh Bird snd tue
Engiish Imported Fish
The English sparrow 10 one Of the
most unnttractivo birds-we should
say the most unGttractlve were Il not
that pictures OF the aptoryx and the
dodo suggest that Il " possible that the
avian family may contain specimens
moro il-hrod and generally disr' ruth-
BILE In appearance than he, says the
Hartford Courant Both these. how
ever. we believe are extinct having
porishod like the ichthyosaurua OF IN
nate homellness, and have been set
aside IN the scheme OF evolution a. I'M
perfect aud mistaken conceptions.
The English sparrow. therefore, re-
mains the most ill-conditioned, disa-
greeable-lOoklng and unpleasant man
nered Of all the birds. Il would be un-
fair 10 compare him with our cong
sparrow, for he makes no pretensions
TO musical skill and frankly admits
that his voice is harsh and strident and
NJ for seedlings, chickering's and Insults
only. but compare him TO our famil-
lar "chippy" The feathers OF the Eng
llsh blrd-it II not posaible. confcien-
tiously. 10 use the word "plumage" IN
connection with him-the feathers OF
the English bird are ~ a dull color aud
look dirty and faded, his clothes have
never been brushed His heavy bill,
coarse head. hunohod-up shoulders,
pugnacious tail. with two feathers
pulled out and one turned sldewiso,
suggest that the pronunciation Of his
name. "sparrer," IL correct. for like a
professional prize fighter. he IS always
auarrellng out loud and practlcing "the
preliminary objurgatlons" Compare
all this TO our chippy. whose plumage
IL neat but not gaudy. whose form Is
the refinement OF elegance and whose
air and manner are the perfection o;
unobtruslve cheerful courtesy. Hia
outline ls the perfection OF grace and
adjusted proportion. Observe him as
he goes systematically through the
woodblne on the piazza In search OF
noxious insects-how thoroughly and
neatly he works, neither inviting nor
soliciting your observation. There IL
no "lost motion about the chlppy, but
all the movements OF the English SPAR
row are ierky and aimless as Of some
thing that has no definite place In the
scheme OF creation and is working for
one. Much the same contrast holds be-
tween our brook trout and the i'm
ported English trout known az the
brown trout" OF course all trout are
beautiful. but the English FISH Il
chunkier and bluntor. the curve OF the
back. which In the American ls said by
artists to be the most beautiful line
In animate nature. II flattencd slightly
By the increased size OF the head. The
colUgs are all toned down and subduet
by the slight but all-important dcgra'
dation which marks the line betweeT
the work OF the great colorlst and th'
successful imitators. In disposition the
English trout ls at once sullen anG
yoracious. and ls an Unsuitable canni
bal. Tho American trout, Il Is true. II
not wholly FREQ from blame In this re
gard, but he does not deyour the younI
OF his own race In the wholesale an'
promiscuous way that marks the feed
ing OF his English cousin. The cen
trast between the typical caricature
of John Bull and Uncle Sam Is not al
together without justification In fact
There Is tendency In this country 4
produce Simmer, moro active an'
elegantly formed animal than thl
English prototype We have no wial
TO lessen the international good feeling
between the two great branches OF IN
Engllsh-speakng people, but We mus
say firmly that the pugnaclous and pro
creative English sparrow Is an ugl,
looking bird and an unmltlgaled nui
snnoe. without brains enough 10 teacl
him 20 go Nouth In winter or breas
-.n.....L o.. I..nL.- MN .unrLH .allum