501) BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



serve a nest of small yellowbirds in a willow bush near 

 where I milked my cows. One morning, as I was milking, 

 I heard several of the old Ijirds makini>- a oreat noise of dis- 

 tress, and on going near the nest I discovered a chipmunk 

 just swallowing one of the young ones which had been 

 hatched about three days. The chipmunk escaped, and on 

 going to the nest I found only one of the four left. I heard 

 the cries of the old ones early the next morning, and on 

 hurrying to the nest I saw the last young bird being swal- 

 lowed whole by the chipmunk, which again made its es- 

 cape. I have for a number of years been suspicious of the 

 little animals doing great damage to either the young birds 

 or the eggs, but have never been able to catch one in the 

 act before." 



It seems improbable that the chipmunk actually swallowed 

 a young bird whole, but it may have stowed it away in its 

 large cheek-pouches, for convenience in carrjdng it off. It 

 is probable that only certain individuals among squirrels 

 molest birds. Such individuals nmst be killed by those 

 who would protect the birds. 



The English Sparrow. — Many people consider this the 

 most destructive of all the natural enemies of birds, and it 

 may be so, in and near the cities, with the possible excep- 

 tion of the cat. The story of how this bird was introduced 

 here, invading the cities and villages, destrojang the native 

 birds or driving them out into the country, was told long 

 ago.* Much might be added to it from my own experience 

 and that of correspondents, but lack of space forbids. 

 There are some localities in the country to which the spar- 

 row has not penetrated, and it has seemed to me that it was 

 hardly holding its own for the past few years, especially in 

 eastern Massachusetts, where in some sections sparrows are 

 not so numerous as in the past, and the native birds are 

 beginning to reoccupy their old haunts. The information 

 gained in this inquiry, however, does not confh'ui this belief, 

 for every county, except Suffolk, Dukes, Barnstable and 



* "The English sparrow in North America," Walter B. Barrows, Bulletin I., 

 Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, United States Department 

 of Agriculture. 



