394 BIRDS OF PENNS YL VA NIA. 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 



[Extracts from Bulletin No. 1. U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Economic Ornithology 

 and Mammalogy. Prepared under the direction of Dr. C. HART MEKRIAM, Ornithologist, by WALTER 

 B. BARROWS, Assistant Ornithologist. J 



RELATION OF THE SPARROW TO OTHER BIRDS. 



This is one of the most important branches of the sparrow investigation, and it is 

 believed that the evidence collected and published herewith is ample for the final 

 settlement of this much vexed question. More, than a thousand original contribu- 

 tions to our knowledge of this subject have been received at the department, and all 

 the available published testimony has also been consulted, and selections from this 

 have been printed. No pains have been spared in collecting evidence on both sides 

 of the question ; and when it became apparent that a large part of the testimony 

 which was coming in was against the sparrow, a special effort was made to induce 

 friends of the bird to come forward with facts or theories to offset this damaging 

 evidence. As a result, a mass of testimony has been brought together which it is 

 believed far exceeds in amount and value anything ever before collected, and it is 

 now submitted to the public with perfect confidence that no candid reader will ever 

 again deny that the sparrow molests our native birds, and in many cases drives them 

 away from our gardens and parks. No one should be content to read simply the 

 brief summary presented at this place, but should turn directly to the evidence itself, 

 and satisfy himself that the case is as here represented. 



The nature of the evidence is such that it is impossible to summarize it satisfac- 

 torily, but the following brief synopsis of matter contributed directly to the depart- 

 ment will show something of its extent : 



Total number of original reports submitted 1,048 



In the main favorable to the sparrow 168 



In the main unfavorable to the sparrow 837 



Indeterminate 43 



This would indicate that about one-fifth of the evidence submitted is favorable to 

 the sparrow; but if we exclude from the evidence all of those reports which consist 

 simply of the answers yes or no to the questions asked on the printed circulars, the 

 percentage of favorable replies will be still further decreased. 



Two hundred and eighty-one reports were received which gave little or no evi- 

 dence on this subject further than these monosyllabic replies, while the seven hun- 

 dred and sixty-seven remaining reports gave illustrations of the hostile or peaceful 

 relations of the birds, or at least mentioned some species which were not molested. 



Of these seven hundred and sixty-seven reports only forty-two are entirely, or 

 even mainly, favorable to the sparrow ; seven hundred and twenty-five of them con- 

 taining evidence unquestionably against the sparrow, and most of it of the most 

 damaging kind. 



This estimate, therefore, which seems to us much nearer the truth than the first, 

 shows that about one-eighteenth of the reports received are favorable to the sparrow 

 as regards its relation to other birds, butit should not be inferred by any means that, 

 therefore, even one-eighteenth of the evidence is favorable. 



About one witness in eighteen has testified for the sparrow, but each juror must 

 decide for himself as to the weight to be given to each piece of evidence. For our 

 own part, after careful consideration of each bit of testimony presented, we believe 

 that the proportion of one hundred to one against the sparrow is the most favorable 

 estimate which any unprejudiced person is likely to make. 



