En 0ntfcfpatfon. 17 



that there are soon others ready to take his place 

 as public defilers. Too cunning to be poisoned, 

 a light charge of No. 12 shot is the best means 

 of allaying his obstreperous cry. I usually leave 

 the corpses of the chief offenders, the noisiest 

 among the cock birds, in some conspicuous 

 place for a day or two, and the matutinal tom- 

 tom in the sugar-maple near my sleeping-room 

 gives place to a sense of delicious repose. One 

 of the necessities of the hour is a noiseless pow- 

 der, and a practical sparrow -gun, light and 

 cheap enough to be generally utilized. A twelve- 

 gauge gun answers the purpose, save for the 

 loudness of the report ; and a small rifle is 

 effective, but the successful use ot this requires 

 too much skill to meet the popular demand. 

 Through the means proposed, no one need be 

 disturbed except the chief offender, and a liberal 

 supply of cartridges would perceptibly rid one 

 of his loathsome presence. " The sparrow car- 

 ries no purse," says Phil Robinson, " for he 

 steals all he wants ; and his name is in no di- 

 rectory, for his address is the world." If Bry- 

 ant lived to-day, he would assuredly change his 

 false refrain, " The Old- World sparrow is wel- 

 come here." An anonymous writer voices a 

 charming sentiment : " Cursed be the man the 

 enemy of the peace of all civilized Americans 



