THE HOUSE SPARROW. 427 



in many instances in j)rovi'ntinii' niany dosirahlc hii'ds from nostin<2^, 

 by ()cciipyin<2: lluMr pirmisos 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 natui'alists and to such naturalized persons as had ob- 

 served its ravages elsewhere, (Jradually, however, its advocates and 

 defenders became less numerous. The evidence of the little crimiiud'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, 1883 : 



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

 be lawful at any season of the year to kill or in any way destroy the small bird 

 known as the English sparrow. 



Many other States have done as much and more. Some towns and 

 counties have offered 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 appreciable effect. 



Probably the most promising method of checking its increase would 

 be the systematic destruction of its nests and eggs during the breediuij 

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

 years ago the city of Boston undertook to clear the nests from Boston 

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

 three weeks the work was sto2:)ped 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 usnallv 

 frequent cities or towns, its work as a sparrow destro3"er would be 

 problematical. The outlook for relief from this pest and nuisance 

 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 : 



The multiplication of these early lots and of many later ones has given the 

 invincible foreigner an assured foothold over most of the United States from 

 which he will never be dislodged. The case is paralleled in Australia and New 

 Zealand. I led the " sparrow war " for twenty j^ears and only surrendered to 

 tlie inevitable. You may do what you please, shoot or poison as many as you 

 can, more will come to the funeral, and nothing you can do will make any 

 appreciable difference. The case is hopeless. 



Although generally considered a town bird it is well known also 

 in the coiuitry. Many insectivorous birds are driven away or 



