THE SPARROW'S USEFULNESS IN AMERICA. 87 



from the tall oak and hemlock; the robin, scarlet 

 tanager, oriole, and a host of others, made the Avoods 

 ring with their songs, or enlivened the scene with their 

 brilliant plumage." 



" The English sparrow, overflowing from the city, 

 made his ill-omened appearance ; within six months, the 

 harsh never-ceasing chirp filled the air from morning 

 until night, and our native birds began to be heard 

 and seen in less numbers. The following spring the 

 most prized wood-thrush had gone elsewhere to breed, 

 and there was a corresponding diminution in the number 

 of our other yearly visitants. The indignation of the 

 neighbors soon vented itself on the useless usurpers, and 

 they were, by being killed and having their nests broken 

 up, soon driven off, and at the present time, two years 

 since the banishment of the English birds, the native 

 and aboriginal avi-fauna of that region is as plentiful as 

 it ever was." 



The editor of the last-mentioned journal, in his issue 

 for July, 1877, prints two very interesting and graceful 

 contributions to the sparrow-question, from the pens of 

 lady correspondents who, according to his statement, 

 are "direct descendants of the man who, during the 

 early days of American scientific research, did perhaps 

 more than any one before or since has done for the ad- 

 vancement of its interests. They come from those liv- 

 ing on. the spot where the immortal artist naturalist 

 spent some of his happiest years; where, having accom- 

 plished his great life-work, he passed into a ripe old age, 

 then peacefully away." It requires but little effort of 

 the mind to imagine to whom the editor refers. 



The value of this testimony, coming as it does from 

 persons who have doubtless inherited much from their 



