146 



THE YOUNG OOLOGIST. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



ENGLISH SPARROWS. 



WHAT IS TO BE DONE WITH THE LITTLE 



TYRANTS ? 



Editor Young Oologist: 



Dear Sir : — I would like to learn your 

 opinion and that of other oologists concern- 

 ing the hostile actions and rapid multipli- 

 cation of the English Sparrow. 



This little British usurper has made him- 

 self an enemy to the collectors of this local- 

 ity by his unmerciful attacks on the other 

 birds, few which do very often hold out 

 against him. No bird, however large, that 

 he happens to meet with, is he afraid of, 

 and although he does not always come out 

 the victor he is always ready for the next 

 trial. 



And as a consequence of his open hostil- 

 ity to all his feathered fraternity, it is a 

 fact undisputed that as soon as he takes up 

 his residence in the neighborhood the other 

 birds begin to disappear. 



Only the stronger birds as the Blue Jay 

 and Woodpecker seem to be able to with- 

 stand his bold sallies. The Robin, Pewee, 

 Oriole and the like all have to retreat 

 before his attacks. 



I was quite amused by an incident which 

 I happened to witness last fall. It took 

 place near and old willow tree where a 

 number of Sparrows had taken up their 

 abode. A Blue Jay happened to alight on 

 a tree some twenty feet from the willow. 

 He had hardly alighted when up flew one 

 of these little warriors with feathers all 

 ruffed up, in, no doubt, his best fighting- 

 trim, darting directly at the Blue Jay. But 

 his small majesty caught a Tartar this 

 time, for the Blue Jay, lifting his beautiful 

 head, caught young Johnny Bull in his 

 beak and started to fly off with him. There 

 was a fuss, you may ue sure, and the Blue- 

 Jay after carrying him about ten yards let 

 him go, and Johnny scampered back to 

 the willow as fast as he came from it. I 

 have seen an English Sparrow attack a 

 Red-headed Woodpecker. 



The multiplicity of the English Sparrow 

 is wonderful. It lays at least three broods 

 a season, commencing in May, (I have 

 never seen any eggs before this), and lay- 

 ing until late in August, and some have 

 claimed to have found their eggs as late as 

 September 15th. 



I have frequently found a nest contain- 

 ing young ones in it, and at the same time 

 a full set of fresh eggs. The parent, after 

 hatching out the first clutch, lays another 

 clutch and thus lets the young ones hatch 

 it out. Probably this mode of hatching is 

 more common with this bird than with anv 



other. They are also extremely hardy. 

 They do not always migrate South at the 

 approach of winter, but live in their old 

 nests which are in deep holes in trees or in 

 cracks in the eaves of houses and barns, etc. 

 Now the question is, what is to be done 

 with these little tyrants ? They are cer- 

 tainly doing a great harm by driving off 

 our pretty summer birds from our yards 

 and gardens, and it would give me great 

 pleasure to hear what others may have to 

 say on this subject. Yours truly, 

 E. E., 

 Ottawa, 111. 



NOTES FROM KANSAS. 

 Editoi' Young Oologwt: 



Dear Sir : — I notice several errors made 

 by correspondents of your journal, concern- 

 ing the birds of our state. I desire to call 

 attention to them for the benefit of all inter- 

 ested. In the September Number, W. S. 

 S. notes the arrival of the Stormy Petrel at 

 Richmond, Kan. As the Stormy Petrel 

 has never before been observed in the state, 

 there is undoubtedly an error as to the 

 identity of the bird. 



In the same issue G. F. B. mentions the 

 absence of shrikes from Marshall county 

 in the breeding season. If he will carefully 

 examine the hedges of his neighborhood 

 for several seasons about April 1st, he will 

 undoubtedly find nests of the White- 

 rumped Shrike. Would like to ask if the 

 identity of the Song Sparrow whose nest 

 was found March 25 was fully established. 

 These Sparrows remain with us until the 

 middle of April, at which time they have 

 not yet paired. I have never found any 

 breeding in this locality, though they 

 undoubtedlj^ breed in the State the earlj^ 

 date seems remarkable. 



As much has been said in your paper 

 about the number of eggs found in a set of 

 the different species, I give a list of the 

 largest sets taken here during the past two 

 seasons : Catbird 5 ; Bluebird 6 ; Purple 

 Martin 5 ; Bank Swallow 6 ; Chewink 6 ; 

 Crow 7 ; Bronzed Grackle 6 ; Blue-Jay 6 ; 

 Yellow-shafted Flicker 9 ; Mourning Dove 

 3 ; Long-eared Owl 6 ; Cooper's Hawk 5 ; 

 Quail 34. Yours, 



L., 



Manhattan, Kan. 



Thanks, Prof. L. We trust our older 

 readers from other sections will as kindly 

 correct any mis-statements their young fol- 

 lowers may unintentionally make in our 

 columns. The "Song Sparrow's" nest 

 found by G. F. B. was doubtless that of 

 Shore Lark.— Ed. 



