34 Decrease of Birds 



Dr. W. R. Eve, Beaufort, writes: "Cats destroy a great 

 many birds especially Mockingbirds/ ' Mr. J. C. Dye, 

 Chester, reports: "House cats are one of the worst ene- 

 mies.' ' Mr. H. E. Ketchin, Fairfield, writes: "Cats do 

 most harm by catching young birds just after they leave 

 the nest." Not only is harm done by homeless stray cats, 

 but by well-fed house cats, also. Cats prowling at night 

 destroy many nests. Mr. E. H. Forbush, State Orintholo- 

 gist of Massachusetts, estimated that in good hunting 

 ground each mature cat will kill on an average fifty birds 

 a year. He reports that a well cared-for pet cat killed 

 fifty-eight birds in one season, including the young in five 

 nests. Every cat found hunting out in the open should be 

 killed at once, and all homeless cats and superfluous young 

 kittens should be disposed of kindly and painlessly. 



A great injury was done many species of smaller birds 

 when the English Sparrow was introduced a little more 

 than sixty years ago. Owing to its rapid increase it has 

 spread all over the country and has driven many song birds 

 away from towns and cities. Mr. J. M. Johnson, Jr., 

 Marion, writes: "The purple Martin visits this community 

 in small numbers, while not more than three years ago 

 they were by thousands. I believe the English Sparrow 

 is largely responsible for the scarceness of the martins, for 

 the almost imperceptible recovery of the Bluebird from the 

 effects of the 1898 blizzard, and for the banishment from 

 the city districts of almost all bird life.^ Mr. F. L. Will- 

 cox, Florence, reports: "The Purple Martin has been 

 driven out largely by English Sparrows. 



English Sparrows mob other birds, take the nesting 

 sites, break up the nests, destroy the eggs, kill the young 

 and make themselves so thoroly despicable that no self- 

 respecting bird wishes to live near them. The Mocking- 

 bird, Bluebird, Wren, and Purple Martin have suffered 

 especially from this pest. Any plans for attracting and 

 protecting our native song birds, especially those nesting 

 near dwellings, must include warfare against this enemy. 

 Persons interested should write to the U. S. Department 



