THE SPARROW'S USEFULNESS IN AMERICA. 83 



may be said to the contrary notwithstanding, these 

 sparrows do molest, harass, drive off, and otherwise 

 maltreat and forcibly eject and attempt to destroy 

 various kinds of native birds, which are thereby de- 

 prived of certain inalienable rights to life, liberty, and 

 the pursuit of happiness after their own fashion." 



In the " Chicago Field" for July, 1877, we have another 

 article from the same gifted pen. After alluding to the 

 introduction of the sparrows into this country, the good 

 which they were expected to accomplish, their remark- 

 able increase, and a dozen no less interesting matters, the 

 doctor is at length brought to the main point which he 

 has to urge against these birds, namely, the reaction of 

 their presence upon our native birds. He remarks that, 



" They are rapidly exterminating the native songsters 

 and insect-eating birds from our cities, and what the 

 result will be when the sparrows overflow into all the 

 country, even I, who try to be alive to the whole case, 

 can only imagine. The sparrows are lusty, vigorous 

 birds, remarkably stout for their size, and withal most 

 pugnacious, irascible, irritable creatures, who wage per- 

 petual warfare with the peacably disposed and unoffend- 

 ing birds with whom they are necessarily thrown into 

 contact. This is contact of a kind that necessarily im- 

 plies competition, and in every struggle for existence, 

 as we all know, the weakest must go to the wall." 



In the "Forest and Stream" for June, 1877, a very in- 

 teresting article bearing upon the much mooted " spar- 

 row question," appears from the pen of William Walsh, 

 Esq., of Brooklyn, N. Y. The writer, after speaking 

 about the warfare which these birds wage upon the 

 bluebird, robin, wren, and worst of all upon that " sweet 

 charmer of the spring," the song sparrow ; their utter 



