Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-30

took possession of WaSninstoh' w.
cording to an official report, ne ana sue
seem to have been naturalized as amer
lean birds IL they ever were naturaiiIeo
at all. about 1880. 1t is thought lha'
the Washington sparrow -immisrants
came from New York and some OF the
sparrow traits against which washington
people complain may be attributed 10
this fact IT is not clear from reauins
the official reports concerning the spar
rows entrance into Washington whether
the bird is English or German Inc
Rambler has dim memory OF having
heard some bird experts say. or 1t may
have been the birds themselves that SAID
II. that the English sparrow is a Ger
man and that he emigrated-it was as
sisted immigration-to England.
From England he was brought to the
United States. and so great was MS loFe
for insects thaS large number were
also brought over to the states from
Germany. The sparrow had a great rep
rtation as the enemy OF all noxlouS OF
harmful bugs and was considered great
friend and patron of agriculture, horticui-
ture, Horticulture, arboriculture and ali
that Perhaps once upon time he
might have been all this and then some
Either the sparrow was much m1srepTs-
scented bird or his habits have undergone
a marked change. IT seems now that ne
prefers crumbs and grain to bugs. a
sparrow will now stand by and watch
insects attack a tree and will never
raise a feather to interfere. He seems
to enjoy the spectacle and almost wears
a smile OF triumph as the beetles etc..
get in their deatify work Policing the
trees and shrubs is none of my business.
he seems TO say. II have no stomach for
such work, -
The early friendr cf the sparrow laid
stress ON tie fact hat he was very
productive bird, ami In this they were
right. 1t is about the only correct ap-
praisement 81 the sparrow character that
the early sparrow friends made. When
the sparrow came t., wsshingtoi. he was
treated with distinguished consideration.
Houses we've erected or constructed for
him in choice trees in the finest parks
and during. winter weather. when bugs
were scarce. he was fed at public ex-
pense, Such tributes of public regard
would Perhaps be very amusing to spar
rows ofsthe present generation.
o. 3. Rsbcock, major. o, engineers. U.
3. A.. then IN charge OF public buildings
and grounds, made a report September
4. 1872. in which be said that large
number Of bird hoases had been manu-
featured and. placid IN tne trees in the
public. grounds ''and some 100 pairs of
German orS EiGijsh sparrows purchased
and liberated and now occupy all these
cages He further wrote tks4 these
birds are Very Valuable In the ARs1Rlfe
grounds from the Tact OF them su6ssssA
ing almost exclusively upon the larva of
ali kinds OF insects, and as they are not
migratory they live upon such larva and
thus prevent its maturity
In Mai. Babcock's report is this more
or less accurate estimate OF the spar
rows character: They are very pro-
dtctive,, one pair raising several broods
of young each year. and the present
stock of these birds. amounting to hun
dYeds Of thousands in New York city, Is
the progeny. Of a few pairs that were
imported in 1850 from Germany"
IN 1873 Maj. Babcock. still IN charge
of public buildings and grounds, wsQte
that during the winter QSI"-70 42o bird
cages for the sparrows were made and
securely fastened to the trees in the pub
lie grounds. These boxes were made
larger than those that were put up last
year. and were made to be occupied by
one pair of birds only, that cages made
with several compartments having been
in no. case occupied by more than one
pair of birds.
..The birds have Increased verS rapidly
and seem to be perfectly acoAnated
They were fed regularly during the win
ter in Franklin. Lafayette and other
squares