G64 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



it. The fungus parasite which causes the disease repwduces by mi- 

 croscopic spores. As these are unprovided witli means of locomotion 

 their nuumer of dispersal, whether by the aid of insects, birds, mam- 

 mals, or wind, becomes a subject of practical importance as well (^f 

 scientific interest. It has been assumed that as these spores in cer- 

 tain staixos of their development are viscid they may readily become 

 attached to the bill and feet of tree-frequenting birds, and to the feet 

 of certain mammals (like squirrels), and in this manner be trans- 

 ported from one tree to another — even to considerable distances. 

 Some currency indeed has been given to a statement that the spores 

 are spread extensively by birds, especially woodpeckers. Although 

 from their nature it is probable enough that birds and squirrels may 

 aid in distributing the spores, at the present time definite proof is 

 wanting and as yet no direct attempts appear to have been made by 

 means of field observations or otherwise to learn the i^art played by 

 birds and mammals in distributing the spores. If funds permit, an 

 attempt will be made to ascertain how far birds are concerned in the 

 transportation from tree to tree and from place to place of the chest- 

 nut-blight spores. 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 



Introduced into the United States about 1850, the English sparrow 

 has spread over most of the United States, and almost everywhere it 

 has proved a nuisance. It is objectionable about buildings because 

 of its noise and filthiness; it destroys large quantities of grain and 

 small fruit; it is wonderfully prolific and by reason of its numbers 

 and pugnacity it has succeeded in destroying or driving away from 

 the neighborhood of cities and villages many of our small insectiv- 

 orous birds. It is also cunning and suspicious and very difficult to 

 destroy. During the year attempts have been made to devise a spar- 

 row trap by means of which numbers of the little pest can be trapped 

 at one time and the colonies in a given locality be permanently re- 

 duced. It is believed that the problem has been solved, and a bul- 

 letin has been published describing the trap, which is of such simple 

 construction that it can be made by every farmer who is provided 

 with the necessary tools and material. 



Sparrows have been found to be excellent food and indeed are not 

 infrequently served in restaurants under the name of reed birds. It 

 is strongly recommended, therefore, that in localities where sparrows 

 are too numerous they be trapped for table use, thus utilizing for 

 food a bird which in many places has come to be both a public and a 

 private nuisance. 



COOPERATIVE WORK ON THE FOOD OF BIRDS. 



As usual, one of the principal features of the work of the bureau 

 during the year w^as the examination of bird stomachs, which pro- 

 ceeds "as rapidly as possible with the present small force. The im- 

 portance of this work is very great, as it is the only reliable means 

 of obtaining accurate evidence as to the food of birds. By means of 

 a careful analysis of the stomach contents the several species of our 

 American birds are being classified as insect eaters, fruit eaters, seed 

 eaters, etc. ; and the ratios also of the component parts of the diet are 



