314 



NATURE STUDY AND LIFE 



are we to do with this enemy of our valuable native birds ? 

 So many differences of opinion and so many delicate 

 points of sentiment, morals, and pedagogy are involved in 

 answering this question that all a teacher can do is to 

 lead the children to observe and study the facts as they 

 occur about their homes, and then leave the solution of 



attacked and destroyed before it becomes necessary to deplete the public 

 treasury for the purpose, as has been done in other countries. By concerted 

 action, and by taking advantage of its gregarious habits, much good may 

 be accomplished with little or no expenditure of money" (p. 164). Among 

 the " Recommendations for Legislation " I may also quote the following : 

 "(i) The immediate repeal of all existing laws which afford protection to 

 the English sparrow. (2) The enactment of laws legalizing the killing 

 of the English sparrow at all seasons of the year, and the destruction of its 

 nests, eggs and young. (3) The enactment of laws making it a misde- 

 meanor, punishable by fine or imprisonment, or both — {(j) to intentionally 

 give food or shelter to the English sparrow, except with a view to its ulti 

 mate destruction; {d) to introduce or aid in introducing it into new local- 

 ities ; (c) to interfere with persons, means, or appliances engaged in, or 

 designed for, its destruction or the destruction of its nests, eggs or young " 

 (p. 150). Methods of destroying sparrows that involve suffering, wound- 

 ing, etc., should be avoided so far as possible. The same is true of methods 

 which advocate destruction of " nests, eggs or young," which I regret to 

 find are favored by the Department of Agriculture. Among the many 

 arguments against this method we may say that a nest is a sacred thing, 

 except to collectors, and the deliberate destruction of it violates our finest 

 sentiments of home and confidence. I have known people to advocate the 

 merciful extermination of sparrows out of nesting time, but they will not 

 allow a nest to be disturbed under their own roof. Recent opposition to 

 attempts to rid Boston of the English sparrow by destruction of " eggs, 

 nest and young " is history in point. I am also obliged, on biological 

 grounds, to differ from the Bulleti7i on the point of protecting carnivo- 

 rous birds, like the sparrow hawk, shrike, and screech owl, because, since 

 English sparrows are so shy and cunning, these birds will be feeding largely 

 on the more easily caught native birds which we wish to protect. And, 

 further, if they did kill English sparrows in great numbers, in proportion 

 as these become scarce they would take more and more of our valuable 

 song birds, until we should be obliged to make war on the hawks and 



