15 



in numbers, the opening may be closed from a distance by 

 means of a cord attached to a shutter or sash or to its support, 

 and the sparrows may be imprisoned and killed. Another plan 

 is to imprison them in the afternoon and let them out in the 

 morning until they have become accustomed to roost in the build - 

 ing in large numbers, when they may be readily despatched at 

 night. Mr. Wilfrid Wheeler, commissioner of the Massachusetts 

 State Department of Agriculture, reports success with this plan. 



Poisoning. 



The use of poison generally cannot be recommended, but 

 when used with great care it has given excellent results. 

 Successful methods are given below. 



The following formula and directions for poisoning English 

 sparrows are given by Ned Dearborn of the Biological Survey, 

 United States Department of Agriculture : — 



Where the use of poison is not prohibited by law it may be emploj'ed 

 effectively to reduce the number of sparrows. Of the different poisons 

 tested the most satisfactory is strychnine, which is easy to prepare and 

 acts quickly. Wheat has proved to be a good bait as well as an excellent 

 vehicle for administering the drug. A convenient method of preparing 

 poisoned bait is as follows : put one-eighth ounce of pulverized str3^chnine 

 into three-fourths of a gill of hot water, add 1| teaspoonfuls of starch 

 or wheat flour moistened with a few drops of cold water, and heat, stirring 

 constantly till the mixture thickens. Pour the hot poisoned starch over 

 1 quart of wheat and stir until every kernel is coated. Small-kerneled 

 wheat sold as poultry food, if reasonably' clean, is preferable to first- 

 quality grain, being cheaper and more easilj'^ eaten bj^ the sparrows. A 

 2-quart glass fruit jar is a good vessel to mix in, as it is easily shaken 

 and allows the condition of the contents to be seen. If the coated wheat 

 be spread thinly on a hard, flat surface it will be dry enough for use in 

 a short time.' It should be dried thoroughly if it is to be put into jars 

 and kept for future use. Dishes employed in preparing poison may be 

 safely cleansed bj^ washing. 



Other seeds, as oats, hemp or canary seed, may be used instead of 

 wheat in the above formula, but they are less economical because much 

 of the poison is lost when they are hulled, though enough of it usually 

 sticks to the mouths of the sparrows to produce fatal effects. As wheat 

 has no hull that a sparrow can remove, it is ordinarily preferable to other 

 seeds. Bread, in thin sHces, spread with the strj'chnine-starch mixture 

 may be used to advantage alternately with seeds. 



In case it is impracticable to poison sparrows at their regular feeding 

 grounds they may be attracted to a suitable place by preliminary baiting. 



