The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-04-10
SWAT THE SPARROW.

At meeting of The American
Ornithologists union, convened in
New York, September 26, 1888, a COM
mittee was appointed Ito investigate
the eligibility or ineligibility of the
European House Sparrow" After a
thorough investigation covering a per-
iod of nearly two years this commit
tee made report to che society at
meeting held in Washington, d. c., on
April 81, 1885, from which the follow
ing extracts, covering the main feat
ures of the investigation, are culled:
Few observers have definitely de-
termined the number of broods hatch
ed yearly by this bird and the number
of young to the brood. . We have,
however, returns from several orni
biologists. The maximum given by Mr..
H. B. Bailey, of Orange, New jersey
six broods in one season, with from
four to five young in a brood,-prob
ably indicates the extent of the birds
fertility in this climate. The usual
number of broods in the latitude of
New York and southwark appears to
be four. There is an over
whelming mass of testimony to the
effect that the sparrow molests and
drives away certain of our most val
ued species of native birds (Blue
birds, purple martins, wrens, Phoebe
birds, ehickadees, warblers, etc.)
Many statements have been received,
giving accounts of conflicts provoked
by the sparrow in which it was cruelty
victorious. 1t is affirmed that from
some localities native species have
been completely banished by the at
tacks, or by the mere presence of the
sparrow. . Well authenticated
instances are furnished showing it's
ability and disposition to accomplish
great destruction to grain. Mr.. Stew
art, of Hackensack, New Jersey, re-
lates the destruction of a wide margin
of wheat in the field. Hon. G.. A. Bick-
nell of New Albany, Ind, says: When
the grain ripens, the sparrows leave
the city and attack the wheat fields.
have seen hundreds of them at once
in my fields and they got about half
the crop. Mr.. T. w. Gentry,
in his exhaustive work on the sparrow
gives similar instances. That
the bird feeds upon fruit is amply at
tested. Every reply to the ques-
! ton: is the sparrow an insect eater or
a seed eater? based upon actual dis
section and examination of the con-
tents of the birds stomach, agree that
the bird lives upon diet almost who'll
| ly vegetable. The balance of
public opinion is strongly adverse to
the sparrow. In view of these
facts, your committee believes that the
English sparrow is an ineligible species
in this country, and that it was mis-
taken policy to introduce the bird.
And we would respectfully recon-
mend: THAT the sheltering or
otherwise fostering of the sparrow by
the public be discouraged. 2.-That
all existing laws protecting the spar
row be repealed and that bounties be
offered for its destruction"
The prophecies of this scientific So
ciety, made over thirty years ago, have
only been too thoroughly realized.
What was everybody's business was, of
| course, nobody's business; and the
sparrow has been allowed to increase
and multiply beyond all counting. His
unpleasant voice offends the ear, and
his filth, and his no less filthy habits
offend the eye. He is a dog in the
manger. He will not eat the insects
or the worms which are slowly but
surely destroying the trees of this
town; nor will he allow our native
birds to do so. Topeka has every
right to be proud of her beautiful
shade trees. If she would keep them
her citizens must make concerted
and determined effort to exterminate
the sparrow.