90 THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



us, and we rose in a body to drive the intruders away. 

 We have done so almost entirely, and this summer, for 

 the first time in many years, have again welcomed our 

 native birds, but if we are to keep them we must destroy 

 the sparrows, as they do most certainly fight and kill 

 all other birds. Let them keep to the city, where they 

 have done, and are doing, a good work, but leave us in 

 our country homes our own feathered songsters." 



In the summer of 1877, the writer spent considerable 

 time in New York City, Jersey City, Newark, and 

 several other large towns and cities of the State of New 

 Jersey where the sparrows arc quite plentiful, and ob- 

 served on scores of occasions, exhibitions of their insolent 

 bearing towards our native birds, particularly towards 

 such as remained. The great scarcity of the latter was 

 a rather noticeable feature. H. H. Rusby, Esq., of 

 Franklin, N. J., who accompanied me in my travels, can 

 testify to the truth of my statement. The same, close 

 observer assured me that he had frequently witnessed 

 the unprovoked assaults of the sparrows upon our native 

 birds, and the persistence with which they were contin- 

 ued. From numerous observations he said " he had 

 become convinced that there existed a feeling of hatred 



O 



towards our native species, which invariably manifested 

 itself when the latter came into contact therewith." 

 He further assured the writer that our own birds de- 

 creased pari passu with the increase and spread of the 

 foreigners. Concerning the destructiveness of the spar- 

 rows, Mr. Eusby says, 4t Farmers in the vicinity of 

 Newark, N. J., have been seriously troubled during the 

 past season (1877) by the depredations of the sparrows 

 upon the growing corn. These birds, gathering in the 

 hedges and along the fence-rows, often make inroads 



