84 JOURNAL OF MAINE ORNITHOLOGICAL vSOCIETY. 



which were an object of interest to many passers-by, who could not 

 resist the temptation to peep in. Perhaps for that reason the second 

 nest was not built in the other side, but in a similar box which had 

 been set up inside of the fence just across the street. With very 

 little trouble we may all have near bird neighbors, but in so doing 

 let us not keep eats. 



During camp life I always found the White-throated Sparrow 

 very shy, and was much surprised the morning of April 27th to find 

 a hundred or more here about the orchard and yard. They re- 

 mained a week, feeding at the door with the Juncos and Sparrows. 

 They were most welcome visitors, their sweet notes giving much 

 pleasure after the long winter, with not a single bird observed. 



One member, at least, was most grateful to tlie editor for using 

 his notes to "fill in" the June Journal. 



The constant unfamiliar song of a bird in the lx)rdcr of the 

 woods, which could be heard in all parts of the house, gave me no 

 peace, yet when followed he eluded me. When I read "I see, I 

 see Miss Heecher," the mystery was solved, and that day he very 

 considerately came near the house when I readily identified the 

 Chestnut-sided Warbler, but the clRstinil was inconspicuous com- 

 pared with the bright yellow markings, and but for the notes might 

 have been overlooked, depriving me of that satisfaction experienced 

 by everyone in naming a new bird. 



Kliz.vbeth H. Marks. 



Yarmouth, Maine, August i, 190S. 



The Knglish Sparrow as an Agent in the Spre.\d 

 OF Disease. — Much has been written about the P'nglish Sparrow 

 since first it was introduced to this country through the mis- 

 guided efforts of certain individuals, now gone, let us hope, to 

 their fitting reward, but though much abuse has been heaped on the 

 Sparrows because they did or did not do certain things I am not 

 aware that anything has yet been said from the standpoint of which 

 I am now going to write. 



The habits of the Sparrows are well known. They are birds of 



