1868.] 389 [Brewer. 



February 5, 1868. 

 The President in the Chair. Forty-two members present. 



Mr. Theodor Eulenstein of Canstatt near Stuttgart, Wtirt- 

 temberg, was elected a Corresponding Member. 



Dr. T. M. Brewer read a paper on the house sparrow of 

 Europe, defending it from the supposed destructive habits 

 recently attributed to it. 



He showed that all the best English ornithologists are either 

 silent as to its destructiveness or contend that the good it does 

 very far exceeds the harm. He quoted from Bewick, Thompson, 

 Selhy, Mudie, Yarrell and Macgillivray, all of whom bear witness in 

 favor of the great benefits the sparrow confers in the destruction of 

 injurious insects. 



He read an extract from the report of a commission to the Sen- 

 ate of France, furnishing very strong evidence in favor of the use- 

 fulness of the sparrow, showing that at all times, at least one-half 

 of its food consists of insects, and at some times almost exclusively; 

 that wherever the sparrows have been unwisely destroyed, injurious 

 insects have immediately increased to such an extent as to become a 

 calamity," destroying crops; and that in several countries the sparrows 

 have been re-introduced and stringent laws passed for their protection ; 

 this had occurred in Hungary, Baden, and in different districts of 

 France. One instance was cited to show that a single pair of spar- 

 rows have been known to destroy over seven hundred cockchafers in 

 feeding one brood. 



Dr. Brewer stated that the spaiTows already introduced into New 

 York, have accomplished wonders in the destruction of the measure 

 worms in that city, and also in the neighboring cities. In the summer 

 of 186 7, it was stated the sparrows were seen actively at work all 

 over New York, clearing the trees of these worms, and so successfully 

 that the foliage of none was known to have been eaten. The spar- 

 rows are already regarded with great favor in New York, commo- 

 dious thatched bird-houses having been constructed for them ; in some 

 of the parks they are regularly fed, and are great favorites with 

 the children. 



Great expectations have been formed in regard to the services they 

 may render in. this country, not only in keeping down the measure 

 worm, but also in destroying canker Avorms, caterpillars, and possibly 

 the curculio. 



