NESTING-HOUSES 73 



The above was written about six years ago, 

 and so the author wrote Mrs. Treat, inquiring 

 whether her experience since that time had been 

 equally successful, to which she replied : — 



" Yes, I find removing eggs of the English 

 sparrow a perfect success. None of the pests are 

 allowed to hatch on my premises and it is very 

 seldom they attempt it. They seem to have 

 learned their lesson well." 



Professor Forbush also writes that he con- 

 siders it more effective to remove the eggs only 

 rather than the whole nest. 



This is the most promising suggestion of those 

 that do not require the killing of the sparrow, that 

 has come to the author's attention. The sparrows 

 begin nesting so early that many of them might 

 be discouraged before the native birds were ready 

 to begin. 



This method of repeatedly destroying the eggs 

 for a few years offers an opportunity of reducing 

 the number of sparrows without resorting to 

 killing them, where a systematic effort is made 

 throughout a whole locality, or possibly just in 

 large parks. 



Keep Holes covered. — The advantage which 

 the sparrows obtain over our native birds by 

 being with us all the year round and by beginning 



