New-York tribune., 1908-10-04
SCAPEG0AT FOR
ENGLISH COUSIN
AMERICAN SPARROW THE
FARMERS ALLY,
Sins of Rapacious ReIatiUe Tiatsi
on His Head-Audubon Soa-
ety'S Campaign of Education,

Because not one american in a hundred Ass -.
found who knows the difference between -
pestfferous European house sparrow eo,r-..-..
known the English sparrow aad the f,-.-,.
valuable sparrows native TO this country an ~.
cational campaign IS being launched In thts -.
with the object OF making every citizen a, -
United States acquainted with his feathered =.
patriots Taking text the sins Of ths so-.s,.
bird which visited upon the head OF hly -
cent American cousins. the National Associsso,
OF Audubon Societies Is planning to establish VS.,
may become a university OF ornithOloEy FOR n.
nation When an adequate endowment To- sB-s
institution is provided. II is intended 70 carr
the simple facts OF bird habits and their sconous,
value 10 every mind in the land
That Ignorance OF the distinction between -.
native sparrow5 and the injurious invader fn-a
across the is causing the wholesale siaughs.r
OF one OF Americas most valuable bird races IA.
been proved by recent Investigations of the IN,
jectors Of this scheme Great numbers OF ths ltr,
Yankee birds. which. It has been shown csar %
per cent OF the weeds from every garden and had
are found to be falling before the uniformed -
venger OF the ravages OF their cockney cousins
That "a sparrow is sparrow" has been discoy.
cred to be the unhappy BELIEF OF the great nato-
ity OF the people Of this country. where the psss
OF the English house sparrow Is being more and
more resented
With score OF such American varieties as IA.
tree chipping field swamp, lark. grasshouvs,
enlisted TO kill weeds and harmful insects for 4.
farmer and orchardist in every section OF this eou--
try. the government authorities have declared ths
native sparrows TO be ''or greater value % azrs-
culture than any other variety anc well worthy ot
protection and encouragement Exhsustivs scisa-
tIfc Investigations by these experts have proved
that these sparrows are practically innocent os
consuming any cultivated fruits while the English
sparrow is notorious destroyer Of buds and blos-
SONS. grain. fruit and garden seeds This i'm
ported house sparrow. utterly unlike ours, Is also
guilty Of driving away native birds from their
fields Of usefulness and in addition Is noisy and
filthy befouIing vines and buildings.
Ever since 1850 when mistaken zaalots brought
the English sparrow to this country to extsrmnats
caterpiIlars the American people have failed TO
DISTINGUISH the virtues OF their little birds
from the vices Of the European species. the Audi
bon workers declare The failure q the foreig3
sparrows 10 do anything but drive away birds who
could consume caterpfIars. well as the subse
quent revulsiOn against the spreading pest from
Europe, has been visited Untustly on the nativs
variety by their own people. they assert In tas
one instance it is believed, the project for na-
tionaI educational movement IS warranted
The case Of the maligned American sparrow
a straw showing the sad economic loss and Injury
due primarily 10 general lack OF Information ot
our national bird resources. said William Dutchsr
president OF the National Association oc Audusoa
Societies at its headquarters. No IA Broadway.
veSterdav We have Iabored Offset this 1y
sending a million educational Leaflets. reports and
colored plates throughout the country Ms year
Our greatest field Is IN the schools where the teach
ers and children OF the nation are already picking
I'D this seed sowing We want 70 Teaca
every farmer orchardfst. rancLman and forester
in the land as we'll with the facts about ais bird
helpers These great industries would De pracu-
calIv impossible without the help OF birds But
this should only be beginning nope soon %
see a national university OF ornithol0gy made pcs
sfble nv some great phfanthropst. through whica
this educational work OF may be brought %
every inhabitant OF North America"