Vol i907^ V ] Estabrook, The English Sparrow Problem. 131 



the Experiment Stations in the United States, and to prominent 

 ornithologists in Canada. These answers practically all agree 

 that the English Sparrow is an obnoxious bird to have, especially 

 to our native bird population. Several letters state that we have 

 no right morally, to kill the English Sparrow, or any other living 

 creature. But it must be plain to anyone that we have as much 

 right to kill a bird that is generally considered obnoxious, as we 

 have to kill mice, rats, fleas, mosquitoes, bedbugs, and the like. 

 This standpoint of false humanitarianism is derided in most 

 emphatic terms in many of my letters. 



I will take up the questions in the order in which they appear 

 in the enquiry, and will endeavor to give the main results secured 

 by the questionnaire. 



1. Are you familiar with Bulletin No. 1, etc. This was inserted 

 in the questionnaire to see if the bulletin referred to, had, to any 

 great extent, been circulated through the country, and also to see 

 if it had had any marked effect on the ideas of the people in regard 

 to the sparrow. A good portion had seen the bulletin and most of 

 those agreed with it perfectly. 



2. Is the English Sparrow present in your locality ? Increasing 

 or decreasing? 



The data for the distribution of the sparrow I have secured 

 from the Directors of the different Experiment Stations, and from 

 the prominent ornithologists in Canada. The English Sparrow 

 exists in enormous numbers in the whole region east of the Rocky 

 Mountains; with the exception of Florida, where it is found in a 

 few places, and in Texas, Oklahoma, and the northern part of 

 Montana where it is reported absent. West of the Rockies, he 

 is reported in Utah, Colorado, and in and about San Francisco, 

 and Portland, Oregon. It is found throughout Canada, south 

 of latitude 50°, and as far west as the Rockies. It does not seem 

 to be either increasing or decreasing its numbers to any appreciable 

 extent anywhere in this area. 



3. What is being done with you to exterminate them? Out- 

 line methods. 



In a great many localities, much is being done towards exter- 

 mination ; nearly one half of those answering were doing something 

 to hold them in check, but as these few are scattered throughout 



