THE HOUSE SPARROW. 427 



in many instances^ in ])reventing man_y (Iosiral)lt' \nn\i^ from nestino-, 

 by occupying' their premises and driving them away, but it even de- 

 vours their eggs while they-are absent finding and feeding on insects. 



For fifteen years, say from 1855 to 1870, after its colonization in 

 America, the protests against its introduction were confined to a few 

 well-informed naturalists and to such naturalized persons as had ob- 

 served its ravages elsewhere. Oradually, however, its advocates and 

 defenders became less numerous. The evidence of the little criminal's 

 guilt was irrefutable, as determined by competent witnesses in the 

 form of innumerable dissections. 



Many methods, legislative and otherwise, it is true, have been 

 adopted and pursued in various places to exterminate it, but without 

 success. Pennsylvania enacted the following law June 4, 1888 : 



Sec. 1. Be it enacted, etc.. That from and after the passage of this act it shall 

 he lawful at any season of the year to kill or in any way destroy the small hird 

 known as the English sjiarrow. 



IVIany other State's have done as much and more. Some towns and 

 counties liave oft'ered bounties. One State (Michigan) paid at one 

 time a bounty of 1 cent per head on English sparrows. 



Shooting, poisoning, trapping, and nest destroying have been 

 resorted to without any ap})reciable efi'ect. 



Probably the most promising method of checking its increase would 

 be the systematic destruction of its nests and eggs duiMug the breeding- 

 season. This has never been done on a large scale, although a few 

 years ago the city of Boston undertcx^k to clear the nests from Boston 

 CVHumon. About 4,000 nests and 1,000 eggs were destroyed, but after 

 three weeks the work was stopped by order of the mayor. 



The northern shrike is known to kill English sparrows, but since 

 it occurs in the United States only in winter, and does not nsually 

 frequent cities or towns, its work as a sparrow destroyer would be 

 problematical. The outlook for relief from this pest and luiisance 

 is therefore serious and discouraging. 



A letter received by the writer from the late Dr. Elliott Cones, one 

 of the leading ornithologists of his day, relative to this matter, con- 

 tains the following disheartening statement : 



'Pile nuiltiplieation of these early lots and of many later ones has given the 

 in\ inciliic foreigner an assured foothold over most of the United States from 

 which he will never he dislodged. The ease is i)aralleled in Australia and New 

 Zealand. I led the "sparrow war" for twenty years and only surrendered to 

 the inevitahle. You may do what yon please, shoot or poison as many as you 

 can, more will come to tlu> funeral, and nothing you eau do will make any 

 appreciahle difference. The case is hopeless. 



Although generalh' considered a town bird it is well known also 

 in the countr3\ Many insectivorous birds are driven away or 



