The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-03
To Defend the
Yankee Bird
By Associated Press.

New York, Oct because not one
American in hundred has been found
who knows the difference between the
pestiferous European house sparrow,
commonly known as the English spar
row, and the intensely valuable spar
rows native to this country, an educa-
tional campaign is being launched in
this city today with the object of max
ing every citizen of the United States
acquainted with his feathered COM
patriots. Taking as a text the sins OF
the foreign bird which are visited
upon the head of his innocent Ameri-
can cousins, the National Association
of Audubon Societies is planning to
establish what may prove univer-
sity of ornithOlogy for the nation.
When an adequate endowment for
such an institution is provided it is in
tended TO carry the simple facts OF
bird habits and economic value to
every mind in the land.
That ignorance of the distinction be-
tween the native sparroWS and the in
furious species from across the ocean
is causing the wholesale slaughter OF
Americas most valuable bird race as
has been proven by recent investiga-
tons of the projectors of this scheme
Great numbers of the little Yankee
birds, who it has been shown clear
ninety per cent VI the NccOS lIOH
every garden and field, are found to be
falling before the uniformed re-
venger of the ravages of their cock
ney cousins That "a sparrow is a
sparrow" has been discovered to be
the unhappy belief of the great major
ity of the people of this country, where
the pest of the English house spar
row is being more and more resented.
With a score of such species as the
tree, chipping, field, swamp, lark,
grasSbOpper vesper and song sparrow,
the junco and grosbeak, enlisted to
kill weeds and harmful insects for the
farmer and orchardist in every section
of this country, the government au-
thorities have declared the American
sparorws TO be ''of greater value 10
agriculture that any other species and
we'll worthy of protection and encOur-
agement" Exhaustive scientific inVeS-
legations by these experts have proven
that the native sparrOws are practical
IL innocent of consuming any cult
waited fruits, while the English spar
row is a notorious destroyer of buds
and blossoms, grain, fruit and garden
seeds. This imported 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. befouling vines and
buildings.
Ever since 1850. when mistaken
Zealots brought the English sparrow
TO this country TO eXterminate cater
pillars. the American people have
failed to differentiate the virtues OF
their own little birds from the vices
of the European species, the Audubon
workers declare. The failure of the
foreign sparrows TO do anything but
drive away birds who could consume
caterpillars, as well as the subSe-
auent revuIsion against the spreading
pest from Europe, has been visited I'M
justly upon the native species by their
own people. they assert In this one
instance il is believed the project for
a national educational movement is
warranted
"The case of the maligned American
sparrow is a straw showing the sad
economic loss and injury due pTimarI-
~ to general lack of information OF
our national bird resources" said Viii
liam butcher, president of the Ma
tional Association of Audubon Socie-
ties, at its headquarters, III Broad
way, today. I'VE have labOred TO of
set this by sending million educa-
tienal leaflets, reports and colored
plates throughout the country this
year. Our greatest field is III the
schools where the teachers and chit
dren of the nation are already picking
up this seed we are sowing. We want
to reach every farmer, orchardist
ranchman and forester in the land. as
well, with the facts about his bird
helpers; these great industries would
be practically impossible without the
help of birds. But this should only be
d beginning. I hope soon to see ma
tionaI university of OrnithOlogy made
possible by some great philanthrOpist