106 THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



our legislatures no longer grope in darkness. Wise and 

 healthy laws have been enacted for the benefit of birds 

 — those saviors of vegetation. And what has been the 

 happy effects? These joyous creatures have forgotten 

 their shyness, and now visit our yards and orchards, and 

 repay our goodness by the destruction of myriads of ver- 

 min. To be sure they take a juicy berry occasionally, 

 but then the vast amount of good which they accom- 

 plish, largely overbalances the mischief committed. 



It is sufficiently obvious from all reports that a 

 healthy condition of things is being produced in rural 

 districts, and also in many of our large towns and cities 

 that have not had their harmony disarranged by the 

 much-to-be-detested sparrow. Had the city authorities, 

 in laying out the plans of our large cities, reserved 

 suitable plots of ground for the growth of shrubbery and 

 trees, either within municipal limits or largely on the 

 outskirts, these spots would have constituted, in course 

 of time, available building-places for many of our smaller 

 birds. From these coverts, as friendly relations became 

 established with their human brethren, they would 

 emerge to glean among the leaves of the trees which 

 line our avenues, and occupy our lawns. The same 

 object would undoubtedly have been gained had suitable 

 gardens and lawns been attached to private as well as 

 public buildings, and adorned with a profusion of vines 

 and shrubbery. But this is acting on the presumption 

 that these feathered creatures were under the protection 

 of a stern and impartial law. But as most cities are 

 now laid out, it is to be feared that the above project can 

 never be satisfactorily carried into execution. As at 

 present constituted, few native species could be found to 

 be as accommodating as the sparrow. The robin, blue- 



