The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-08
sPARRows AND MoCI<ING BIRDS.
The Aggressive English Bird Proves
Friend to the Native sonuater

The Aggressive English Bird Proves
Friend to the Native SOngater.
Mississippi Letter In Country Gentleman.
The Southern states have long been not
ed for their strawberries and flower gar
dens, and just as long for the goodly
number Of song birds that delighted to
make their homes In these famous shrub
berries. Chief among these songsters, as
all the world knows, was the knocking
bird, so far famed for his variety and
power of song. From time immemorial he
has been the JOY and pride of our gardens.
But when the alien bird from over the
seas came down upon us he put to flight
the hooking bird, and for this reason Is
the sparrow most rallied against.
Most people believe that the mocking
bird Is gone. in the same sense that the
paroquet and wild pigeon are gone but
most people never look below the surface
in anything. and never beyond their gar
den walls In this particular thing. While
all the world Is crying out against the
English sparrow for destroying the mock
ing bird l wish to affirm that the SPAR
row has in this case done a good work
In saving the hooking bird from utter
determination, for which all true lovers
of birds should be grateful. This indirect
kindness to the hooking bird and his real
admirers should absolve the sparrow from
all other sins Of which he may be guilty.
In proof of my affirmation, 1t is but nec-
essary to call the attention of wide
awake students of birds to the facts in
the case. Naturally the hooking bird
seemed to prefer a lodgment near the
haunts of man. Through generations OF
association this instinct had become q
marked trait and 1t was an uncommon
thing to find a pair nesting far from hu-
ms bahtfafion ar 90 md
had they become that they rarely built
their nests out Of easy reach of man.
Though most people profess such delight
and pride in the hooking bird and are so
indignant that the sparrow has deprived
them of their songsters, they forget to
blame themselves for participating In the
almost universal custom of caging. which
prior to the new order of things was ex-
terminating the species.
1t has been a custom for years In the
South never to allow a hooking bird 10
escape the prison bars II 1t could be cap
tured while IN the callow state. So con-
fiding bird was easy prey under the old
regime, for they often built their nests
on rose bush or trellls. where even my
lady" could lift with soft white hands
the birdllngs from their airy home and
place them In confinement for life or death
In 50 per cent. of all cases death from
grief or starvation or neglect was and liz
Caging that the little negroes of the South
make a business of capturing every young
hooking bird they can find, knowing they
have an ever-ready market for them
Legislatures in vain have tried 10 stop
the wanton cruelty. When the species
seemed doomed, In stepped the sparrow,
and after a hard fight (for the hooking
bird was not easily routed), the songster
was forced into more remote regions,
away from his beloved strawberries end
orchards. He can now be found In the
hedge-rows and thorn trees remote from
the habitat of man. Already a rapid in
crease can be noted in the species since
their nests are now compara lively mac
cessible to their friends (Y.
/ know a species of hedge where they
have become so numerous as to give one
the impression of "a flock. / have counted
as many as seven of these belligerent
beauties IN a very limited space. know
of another colony that is growing strong
err two miles from human habitation, on
the edge of a dense swamp by the side
of a lonely stretch of levee. How glad
they make these waste places through the
long summer days!
In spite of mans ingratltude and the
suarrow's usurpaton. the hooking bird
still comes back to his beloved tree and
us with song But these are only flying
visits. He also, in some instances, slips
into favorite roosting place IN some vine
or shrub or evergreen near dwelling af-
ter the noisy sparrows are in bed, and SER
onades through the long hours of night
with his soft music We should like very
much to see the sparrows go, but we re-
joice that the woodland and hedges are
being flied with hooking birds.