PASSERES OSCINES FRINGILLLD.E. 55 



76. ( — •) Lanius ludovicianus Linn. Loggerhead Shrike. 



Not in the original edition. Eare or casual, but has several times 

 been observed, and probably belongs to the category of permanent resi- 

 dents. Mr. William Palmer informs us that he obtained a specimen 

 about the 6th of October, 1880, and that the Loggerhead has also been 

 procured by Mr. Henry Marshall, at Laurel, Md. Mr. Eidgway has 

 lately published the following note on the occurrence of the species in 

 the District: "Several specimens of this irregularly distributed, and 

 everywhere more or less local, species have within the last few years 

 been taken in the vicinity of Washington, and are now in the collection 

 of the National Museum. Most if not all of them were taken in win- 

 ter." (Bull. Nutt. Ornith. Club, vii, 1882, p. 253.) [187 J 



Family FEINGILLID^E : Finches, &c. 



77. ( — .) Passer domesticus (Linn.) Koch. Philip Sparrow; English Spar- 



row; European Sparrow; Tramp; Parasite; Hoodlum. 

 This nuisance was introduced some years after our list appeared 5 and 

 so far from there being any prospect of its abatement it has increased 

 each year. There is said to be a remedy for every ill under the sun, 

 but none has been found as yet for this one, notwithstanding the cease- 

 less complaints and protests that we hear from all sides. The rowdy 

 little gamins squeak and fight and do worse all through the city, to the 

 annoyance and disgust of nearly all persons. In the aggregate the suf- 

 fering they entail upon invalids and those prostrated by sickness is 

 immeasureable. Washington harbors and encourages a select assort- 

 ment of noise-nuisances — the black newspaper iinps who screech every 

 one deaf on Sunday morning; the fresh-fish fiends, the berry brutes, 

 the soap-fat scoundrels, and the o' clo' devils; the milk mercenaries 

 with their detonating gongs; but all these have their exits as well as 

 their entrances; the Sparrows alone are tireless, ubiquitous, sempiternal. 

 They begin just about the time one of the authors of this treatise gen- 

 erally goes to bed and tries to go to sleep — towards daybreak — and keep 

 it up till their voices swell in a diapason of horror with those of the 

 other unspeakable wretches above alluded to. They breed during the 

 greater part of the year — breed at a year old — keep breeding — breed 

 numberlessly. In place of many sweet songsters which used to grace 

 and enliven our streets, we have these animated manure machines, as 

 almost every house-owner in the city knows to his cost. Whatever may 

 be said to the contrary notwithstanding, the Sparrows, besides perse- 

 cuting the human species, do molest, harass, drive off, and otherwise 

 maltreat and forcibly evict and attempt to destroy various kinds of 

 native birds, which are thereby deprived of certain inalienable rights 

 to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness after their own fashion. To 

 offset all this what have we ? Nothing, absolutely nothing. [192] 



