LAND BIRDS. 481 



s^ome insects, a few of whi(;h arc injurious; it consumes some grass seed 

 and weed seeds. That is all. 



On the other hand, its bad qualities are numerous and pronounced. 

 It is a natural grain eater and regularly damages grain crops in the field 

 and in the shock; it eats buds, young sprouts, flowers and seeds of almost 

 every green thing which is cultivated; at certain times and places it does 

 considerable damage to fruit, although this is one of its lesser crimes; it 

 is a persistent enemy of our native birds, pai'ticularly of those kinds which 

 appear to seek the vicinity of dwellings, or which nest in boxes, holes or 

 other places prepared for them by man. 



From the fact that the Sparrow remains with us over winter and liegins 

 to nest very early in the spring it naturally takes possession of all the 

 available nesting places, so that when the Bluebird, Wren, Phoebe and Tree 

 Swallow arrive they find their homes occupied and are compelled to fight 

 for them or go elsewhere. Even the Purple Martin has been dispossessed 

 in many instances and the decrease in its numbers, which has been notice- 

 able in the last two decades, probably is largely attributable to the Sparrow. 

 Not only does the interloper affect these species, but it often directly 

 attacks Robins, Song Sparrows, Chickadees, Flycatchers, Thrushes, Tana- 

 gers, and a host of other birds, annoying them by repeated visits to their 

 nests or by actual attacks on them while feeding. 



One of the most serious aspects of the Sparrow problem is due to its 

 filthy habits. It gathers in immense flocks to roost and often selects 

 cornices, windowcaps, ornamental work about the eaves and gables of 

 buildings, and the vines which cover the walls of public and private dwel- 

 lings. In these places its presence is soon shown by the defacement of the 

 structures by its droppings, by the destruction of the vines, and the litter 

 which it causes. Often still further damage is caused by its carrying 

 nesting material into gutters, down-spouts, and similar places about the 

 eaves, so that the water of cisterns is defiled, or overflow of pipes results, 

 sometimes causing great damage. 



The reader who is interested in the details of these charges may consult 

 the author's work on the English Sparrow, published as Bulletin No. 1 of 

 the Division of Economic Ornithology of the United States Department of 

 Agriculture, in 1889. 



Within the last decade two new and serious charges have been made 

 against the Sparrow; one, that it is frequently concerned in the spread of 

 hog cholera, the other, that it is partly responsible for the distribution of 

 the lice and mites which affect poultry. The evidence in support of the 

 latter charge is direct and convincing. Sparrows are always attracted to 

 poultry yards by the food to be found there. They use feathers freely 

 for lining their nests, both in summer and winter. Thus their nests become 

 infested with the lice and mites of the chickens. Careful experiment has 

 shown that at least one species of chicken mite, Dcrmanyssus gallincc, 

 and prol)ably the worst one, is perfectly at home on the Ihiglish Sparrow, 

 frequently swarms in its nests, and after multiplying freely on the Sparrow 

 may be transferred again to chickens without any loss of vitality. A 

 single feather in a vSparrow's nest was found to carry 72 living chicken 

 mites, and at least 250 similar feathers were found in this single nest, giving 

 a probable total of at least 18,000 mites in one nest (Ewing, Auk, XXVIIl, 

 1911, 335-340). In the light of such facts the numerous Sparrow's nests 

 about barns and sheds, as well as in trees about the farm yard, should 

 acquire added significance. 

 01 



