184 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. [YolY. 



1877. Gentry, T. G. The Sparrow Question [Passer domesticiis]. < The Amerkati 

 Cultivator (Boston, Mass.), Oct. 27, 1877. 



A reply to T. M. Brewer, op. cit. June 23, 1877, wliicli article compares in no favorable 

 light with the less witty but more weighty statements of the person who had been ridiciiled 

 for his opinions, and abused for his observations of fact. Mr. Gentry shows the discrepancies 

 between Dr. Brewer's alleged facts and the facts themselves, as attested by Messrs. E. Deane 

 and H. A.. Pardie. He writes like a man laboring under a sense of wrong done him, and a 

 conviction of the soundness of his position. 



1877. LooMis, E. The English Sparrow [Passer domestious]. <lMirror and Farmer, 

 July 21, 1877. 



Views of "an English agriculturist, now travelling in this country," favorable to tlie 

 Sparrow. 



1877. "0." The Sparrow [Passer doniesticus] vs. the Caterpillar. <^Bostou Daily 

 Advertiser, July 31, 1877. 



Endorsing Mr. Purdie's testimony, denying that the birds have anything to do with the 

 decrease of the insects. 



1877. P[URDIE], H. A. The Sparrow [Passer domesticus] in Boston. <^ Boston DaUy 

 Advertiser, July 30, 1877. 



A clear refutation of the assertions of T. M. Brewer and others, that the Sparrow had been 

 effective in destroying the Orgyia levcostignia, the trees being devastated by these insects, and 

 the city forester having men at work still. " AU over the boles of the elms, maples, lindens 

 and other trees might be seen crawling the larvEe . . . the completed cocoons were to be 

 seen by thousands. . . . not one is molested hj passer domesticus." The extracts from 

 one of Dr. Brewer's articles, printed in the body of this paper, read very ciiriously in the 

 face of the facts adduced. The writer had evei-y opportunity for acciuate observation. 



1877. Samuels, E. A. Butcher Birds and SparroAvs [Passer domesticus]. < Boston 

 Transoipt, ¥eh. 3, 1877. 



Denunciatory of the Sparrow, and advocating the But('hor Birds as destroyers of the nui- 

 sance. "The bird will unquestionably prove as great a nuisance in this country as it has 

 been found in Europe, and I doubt not a bounty will at some time be oifcred for its head. 

 . . . The English sparrow has driven away all our o\vn jjretty and interesting and musi- 

 cal birds, and I almost wish for a visitation from some immense host of 'butcherbirds' to 



finish them." 



• 



1877. "*" [i. e. Henry Ward Beecher]. Star Paper.— Sparrows to the Rescue. 

 <^ The Christian Union, Aug. 8, 1877. 



The celebrated clergyman who here essays ornithology, in somewhat satirical vein, accuses 

 E. Coues of having "incited a riot" against the Sparrows; denies the allegation that the 

 Sparrows molest native birds; calls it "treason," and predicts that the ornithologist men- 

 tioned ' ' shall be known in the kingdom of birds as a public foe, " with much more of the same 

 sort. It is presumed that many uninfonned or misinformed persons may agree with him. 



1877. The Starlings in Central Park. — Some disparaging Comments about 



the Sparrows [Passer domesticus]. <^Forest and Stream, vol. viii, June 14, 

 1877, pp. 307, 308. 



This is a composite article, consisting of letters from several persons. 1. Wm. Walsh, of 

 BrooMjm, 2^. Y., gives instances of the Sparrows harassing other birds, and states that he 

 knows from experience that the Sparrow is "a good-for-nothing domineering bird." 2. H. 

 G. Carey, of Indianapolis, weighs the evidence for and against the birds, in a very im- 

 partial manner, in fourteen distinct propositions. 3. "E." writes favorably of the birds, 

 though detailing their disputes, with Bluebirds and "Wrens. 4. "Bed Wing" states that the 

 presence of the Sparrows makes very little difference with other birds. 5. Is from T. M. 

 Brewer. 6. H. D. Minot presents evidence against the birds in fom- distinct counts. 



1877. Further Evidence on the Sparrow Question. <| Forest and Stream, vol. 



viii. July 26, 1877, p. 420 (see also pp. 261, 360, 379). 



Three letters from correspondents. 1. " Tanager " deems it not only a duty but a pleasure 

 to add his testimony against the birds. 2. "Eidelis" wishes to say a few words for the dear 

 companions of her childhood, the native birds, which the Sparrows had driven away. 

 3. " Woman " attests the pluck of the Sparrow, &c. 



1878. Akhurst, J. The Sparrows [Passer domesticus] — Letter from a Competent 



Witness. <^ Boston Journal, Mar. 15, 1878. 



"I believe the sparrow to be a very useful little bird, and I should be very sorry to see 

 nim destroyed." 



