THE CHIPPING SPARROW 



was published under the direction of the Massachusetts 

 State Board of Agricuhure. 



Mr. Forbush wrote to such eminent experts and author- 

 ities on bird-life as Robert Ridgway, Dr. Frank M. Chap- 

 man, Dr. Witmer Stone, Dr. Henry W. Henshaw, Dr. 

 William T. Hornaday, John Burroughs, William Dutcher, 

 T. Gilbert Pearson, Dr. George W. Field, Dr. C. F. Hodge, 

 Ernest Harold Baynes, Mrs. Mabel Osgood Weight, and 

 others, for their opinions regarding the relative destruc- 

 tiveness of cats to the bird-life of the country. They were 

 unanimous in their denunciation of cats as the "greatest 

 destructive agency to our smaller song and insectivorous 

 birds." 



Mrs. Wright says: "If the people of the country insist 

 upon keeping cats in the same number as at present, all 

 the splendid work of Federal and State legislation, all 

 the labors of game- and song-bird protective associations, 

 all the loving care of individuals in watching and feeding, 

 will not be able to save our birds in many localities." 



Young chipping sparrows are spoiled bird-babies. 

 They "tag" their gentle little parents about with unusual 

 persistence, knowing that they will get what they demand. 

 They frequently look as if they might not turn out to be 

 excellent bird-citizens like their ancestors. When a noted 

 ornithologist first saw Mr. HorsfalFs original drawing 

 of the accompanying family of chipping sparrows he re- 

 marked, "That baby looks a million years old and steeped 

 in sin!" But the duties of parenthood sober the young- 

 sters, and the following year, they become in turn pleasant, 

 docile, lovable little "Bird Neighbors." 



[153] 



