THE ENGLISH SPARROW QUESTION 77 



a large pan, one that will just slide into my wife's 

 kitchen range, keep the grain hot and stir it frequently 

 until it is thoroughly dried. The grain must not be 

 scorched in the least, as then the birds, especially the 

 old ones, will not eat it. When the grain is thoroughly 

 dried, it takes a better expert than even an English 

 sparrow to discover any change in its appearance. If 

 an exceeding deadly grain is wanted another dram of 

 the poison can be used, but the above will be found 

 effective. It needs but one grain of this wheat to kill 

 .a sparrow in three minutes as I have timed the experi- 

 ment, and the grain gets no farther than the crop, 

 sometimes not so far. I scatter the grain sparingly 

 near the roosting places of the birds and in localities 

 where they are accustomed to feed. Snowy, cold 

 weather, when there is little bare ground, is the best 

 time. The baited places should be visited daily, if 

 possible, and the dead birds should be removed. You 

 will be surprised at the killings you will make. By 

 persistent effort, you can enormously reduce their 

 numbers, and that is worth working for." 1 



5. If you cannot drive the sparrows away or will not 

 poison them, you may compromise with them by offer- 

 ing nesting boxes in places attractive to them, and take 

 the eggs out of them as the sets are laid. In that way 

 they can be kept from multiplying. The boxes may 

 be made with a sliding or opening cover and may be 

 placed where they are accessible from attic or second 



1 Compare "The So-called Sparrow War in Boston." Bird-Lore, 

 August, 1899, page 137. 



