Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-12-16
The English Sparrow

| 4Hc campaign Delng Waged IN many
sections against the English sparrows
was yesterday called to the attention
OF Chairman Harry B. Austin Of the
Maine Fish and Game Commission,
who said, in substance:
| Yes, the matter has not only been
given considerable attention by this
| commission but my attention has
been called to it by communications
through the mail by parties who seem
to be waging systematic warfare
against that bird. They have asked
the endorsement Of this commission
for the campaign, but it has not been
given. because do not feel that am
sufficiently acquainted with the real
habits Of these birds and the proposed
method of their extirmation to place
myself on record as favoring whole
sale slaughtering Of them.
For instance, what an unfortunate
thing it would be to have all the youth
of any community, country, town or
city, to be armed with airguns and
allowed to shoot right and left for
the purpose Of killing off our English
sparrows. How many of them can
distinguish the English sparrows from
| many of the 80 to 40 other varieties
of sparrows we have in this section,
all of whom are known to be of the
greatest assistance in destroying the
harmful insects and seeds, that would
otherwise become almost unbearable
pests?
why. it was only the other day
that our Tom James, the curator of
the State Museum, found some boys
shooting In that fashion on one Of our
Augusta streets and stopped them.
They objected to any Interference
with their shooting. saying they had
perfect right to shoot the English
| sparrows.
YES said Mr.. James to the boys,
you have a right to kill the English
sparrows because they are not pro-
tected by law, but you do not have a
right to kill these BIRDS and he
showed the lads that they had killed
some Of our field sparrows, one of the
best friends the farmer has.
| Curator James, who was present.
corroborated the statement and fully
endorsed the position taken by chair
man Austin, emphasizing the danger
Of destroying the useful birds, through
ignorance Of their appearance and
value and mistaking them for the al
| legged undesirable specie.
Remember the old saying, Better
let two guilty men escape. rather than
hang one innocent man."
Chairman Austin remarked: II no.
ticed the recent article on this bird
subject in the Kennebec Journal and 1
! in <h0y NIT
care cannot be used in starting any
such crusade. We must be sure that
we are absolutely right before we
start anything that would promise to
be so far-reaching in its effects.
This clipping shows that all the
people and bird lovers especially are
not in favor Of the determination Of
the English sparrows. It states that
Archibald c. Weeks. librarian of the
Brooklyn chronological Society. re-
Gently wrote to the New York Sun.
opposing such a crusade. He denies
that the sparrow drives away more
desirable birds by asserting that it
clings about human habitations. leav-
ing the wide world to the others,
which only approach such places for
brief and occasional visits. He also
asserts that the English sparrow aids
in destroying the same obnoxious in
sects upon which other birds prey, and
thus, instead Of being menace, are
really an asset to the country.
"Of course, 1t is a debatable ques-
ton. but as I before said. I am not
familiar enough with the birds and
their habits to take any decided stand
in the matter-beyond the fact that I
could never countenance the indis-
criminate use Of firearms. in the woods
al. In tho onen."