The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-19
HAIL TO THE SPARROW
Cheerful, If Noisy, He Also Has a
Useful Industry.
South Bend (Ird.) Tribune

The Tribune has always been a friend to
the English sparrow and has defended
this much abused bird on all occasions.
OF course the sparrow is disagreeable at
times, ofttimes, perhaps, because of his
numerousness, his persistence in taking
up his abode in neighborhood where his
presence is not desired, his never-ceasing
activity and his never ending chatter.
Yet while we may call this bird a nui-
sance and legislatures pass laws placing
a bounty upon his energetic little head
in order to secure his determination If
possible, all these characteristics named
are to his credit. 49,.
There is lesson in the sparrow's life.
In the first place he is a progressive bird
and will always be found where the march
of civilization is the greater and where
human population is the thickest. He is
in no sense timid or weak. He will
stake out a claim for a home in the most
artistocratic cave or the loftiest cornice
of the big cities and persist in maintain
ing his rights there as long as life lasts.
He is sociable being and believes in the
value of numbers. He will never be
found playing the part of the hermit or
recluse. He seems to take delight in
keeping the streets and gardens and lawns
clean and he is the busiest and most eff
fective garbage system in some respects
that any city has. He is as Industrious
as the ant and does not cease his labors
while the day lasts. His vesper hymn
and his morning song are not especially
musical, but they are interesting in their
regularity, their rhythm and their racket.
There are no soft spots in his larynx, no
pianissimo passages in his music. He has
no regard for expression, opens with a
full tone, keeps it up all through, and
shuts down abruptly at the finale. He is
a vigorous singer and is always ready to
tune up without asking. 1t makes no
difference whether he sings a solo, in
duet or chorus, he is the same loud
screecher on every occasion and in any
capacity. He sings or chatters while he
works and lets no time go to waste. The
vocal efforts of the sparrow are not alto
gether desirable and for this reason he is
regarded as somewhat O." a nuisance, but
one soon becomes accustomed to his noise
and gets lonesome without it.
A new virtue has been found in the
sparrow that will rebound ever to his
popularity if what is claimed for him
proves true. He is said to be deadly
enemy to the locust, as we'll as every
other thing of the insect. kind, large or
small Now, if the locusts come to us
this season, as is predicted, on their sew
enteenth year visit. in great f1ocks. cover
the fields and destroy verdures of all kinds,
and the sparrow attacks the pest In great
flocks also and annihilates it, what will
be our feelings toward the little busy,
saucy bird? Will we not hail him as a
benefactor. and be sorry that we ever
said an unkind word of him? Will we
now allow him to even build his nest over
our front doors and never drive him
away? If the sparrow will do this when
the opportunity arrives should it arrive.
he will be the greatest bird on earth and
no mistake. People who now look upon
him with disdain and wisk he were far
away off on some distant island and could
never get away from it. will be glad he is
here and will never complain of his in
harmonious music at s. o'clock in the
morning nor of his habits of appropriat-
ing others premises as his own. Hail to
the sparrow every day, if he will prove
himself as a locust exterminator, provided
the locusts come around. We will anx-
iously await this coming meeting between
the locust hosts and the great company of
English sparrows in our midst.