272 Transactions of the American Institute. 



rose bush. They are quite tame, and I have been close to them, and 

 I have seen them come up to leaves that are stuck together, and they 

 open it carefully and peep in, and then make a dive and bring out 

 the green slug. I have watched more than a hundred operations like 

 this, and have witnessed them with great satisfaction. 



Mr. D. B. Bruin — I have seen them go into a nest of caterpillars 

 in the same way ; they would strip the bark down and pull out the 

 insects. 



Mr. P. T. Quinn — Ever since the sparrows have been introduced, 

 we have been warned more than once through the agricultural jour- 

 nals to beware of the ravages of the sparrow. There is no doubt in 

 my mind but that they will feed upon insects when they can get 

 nothing else to eat ; but they will also become very destructive and 

 injurious to the fruit-grower in the country. There is a great deal 

 of sentiment about birds. I know that some of them are the allies 

 of the fruit-grower, but I was born where the sparrows were pests in 

 the worst sense of the term ; where they not only eat the fruit, which 

 we would be willing to forgive, but they feed also on the blossoms ; 

 and so the subject comes up whether that variety of bird will greatly 

 benefit the fruit-grower. I have a neighbor, and he called me into 

 his fruit-garden and showed me the blossoms of his trees all picked 

 off; he said he had not seen any sparrows around, but his place is 

 only a stone's throw from mine, and we had had quantities of them, 

 and there was no doubt but that the sparrow was the depredator. If 

 he would only eat the ripe fruit I would say let him have it, as much 

 as he can eat ; but when he eats the buds, then he is an injury, and I 

 fear that we shall regret that they have ever passed out of the city. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller — My brother brought out two pair to our place, 

 and they have driven all the rest of the birds away. 



Rev. Joshua "Weaver—I think that they will be a very serious 

 injury to the country, although it cannot be denied that they are a 

 benefit to the city. In England they are regarded as a nuisance, and 

 people are constantly asking if there is not some way of destroying 

 them. 



Mr. A. S. Lyman — They were first introduced into New York city, 

 and have there proved of great benefit in the parks and along the 

 streets, but when taken out from this island and carried abroad where 

 they have access to fruits, berries and buds, they will do more mis- 

 chief than good. 



Mr. A. S. Fuller — Sparrows were introduced when the trees 

 swarmed with the span-worm, but at that time it was mentioned in 



