CHAPTER XIV 



BIRD ENEMIES INTRODUCED BY MAN: THE 

 CAT AND THE ENGLISH SPARROW 



Coming now to the part that man has played 

 in the destruction of bird life, we will first consider 

 those agencies for which he is indirectly responsible, 

 namely, the cat and the English sparrow. The cat 

 was brought to this country as a pet by the white 

 man, and is now often so poorly fed and cared for, 

 and even entirely deserted by people, that man 

 must be held largely accountable for the harm that 

 cats do. In a similar way man is responsible for the 

 English sparrow, because it was introduced by him 

 into this country in 1851 and at later dates, and 

 has now become one of the worst enemies of cer- 

 tain song-birds. 



The Cat 



Method of doing harm. There is quite general 

 agreement among bird-students that cats are the 

 worst enemy of the song-birds. The chief harm is 

 done during the nesting-season. While the young 

 are in the nest, they are entirely helpless and un- 

 able to defend themselves against the cat. Not only 

 does the cat find nests on the ground, but it can 



