Problems Confronting Beginners 245 



"With this simple method at command, by 

 concerted action a few friends of our native birds 

 can rid any northern city of the sparrow pest in 

 a- single winter. This is no more than parents 

 ought to be willing to do, if not for the sake of the 

 native birds, at least to clear the way for the 

 children to do effective work in their behalf." 



The shotgun, too, may sometimes be very 

 useful in the war on sparrows. In sparsely 

 settled districts it may generally be used without 

 danger, and the other birds are only temporarily 

 frightened by the noise. If the sparrows are 

 accustomed to feeding in densely packed flocks 

 around small heaps of grain, a great many may 

 be killed at one discharge of the weapon. The 

 gun is also very useful for gathering in here and 

 there, single birds which have become too wary 

 for trap or poison. When there is an oppor- 

 tunity to shoot only one of several birds, the 

 gunner should select a female for obvious reasons. 

 A preponderance of males is said to further the 

 work of extermination. 



Almost any town or city can be cleared of 

 European sparrows and kept clear of them, if 

 just a few men of resource and resolution will 

 undertake the work. In almost any town there 

 are a certain number of men who have made a 

 great success in business, and I know and they 



