1 8 STfje fatfoen's <Stor. 



who imported them ! He should be incinerated, 

 and his ashes blown by the four winds to the 

 four quarters of the globe." 



The melancholy fact exists, notwithstanding, 

 that the sparrow is here, and stands urgently in 

 need of a prescription. He has succeeded in his 

 dual role of harassing both mankind and his 

 own desirable congeners. One by one he has 

 driven away the song-birds from our home- 

 steads, appropriating the nesting-places of the 

 wren, the bluebird, and others, whose presence 

 was invaluable in the orchard and among small 

 fruits. The oriole still remains, concealed by 

 the apple-bloom, or comparatively secure from 

 assault in his rocking-chair in the elm. The 

 song-sparrow and purple martin are diminishing 

 yearly, the robin, blackbird, and oriole alone 

 being able to resist his malicious persecution. 

 In like manner, the Rocky Mountain trout has 

 been placed in streams tenanted by the speckled 

 trout, only to override and diminish a superior 

 game-fish. Can not the champions of the Eng- 

 lish sparrow people the country with the Austra- 

 lian rabbit, or disseminate the Swiss goitre, as 

 an act of philanthropy ? A State or Govern- 

 ment bounty on the sparrow's head would help 

 to thin his polygamous brood ; his slaughter for 

 " potted game " would add largely to the score ; 



