BIRDS OF FIELD AND GARDEN. 297 



grain and small seeds that they found in the poultry yards 

 and scratching-sheds. When Professor Beal states his belief 

 that the Tree Sparrows in the State of Iowa eat eight hundred 

 and seventy-five tons of weed seeds in a winter, it seems, in 

 view of our experience, a low estimate. 



Not far from the house was a patch of Japanese millet about 

 ten rods long by one wide. This was allowed to stand until 

 fully ripe, and then reaped and threshed out for the seed. 

 As it stood a little too long, much seed fell and was left on 

 the ground for the birds, — probably two bushels or more. 

 During the winter they cleaned this up so thoroughly that 

 only about a dozen stalks sprang up the next spring at one 

 end of the patch. 



When Sparrows flock normally about a weed patch, they 

 gather up nearly ninety per cent, of the seed during a winter ; 

 but when more are attracted by extra food, they often get 

 nearly all the seeds, as they did that year about our garden. 

 Dr. Judd examined a rectangular space of eighteen inches 

 where Sparrows had been feeding in a smartweed thicket. 

 He found eleven hundred and thirty mutilated seeds, and 

 only two whole ones. No smartweed grew there the follow- 

 ing year. Sparrows were still feeding on these and similar 

 seeds on May 13, and a diligent search showed only half a 

 dozen whole seeds in the field. Weed seeds form more than 

 half the food of mature Sparrows for the year. 



This great group of birds comprises species of such varied 

 habits that it is represented everywhere. Sparrows, Finches, 

 Grosbeaks, or Buntings are found not only in the woods, 

 fields, and city streets, but in swamps and marshes, and 

 among the desert sand hills of Cape Cod and Ipswich. They 

 range from the mountain top to the sea level, and from the 

 shores of the sea to the farthest western boundary of the 

 State ; even at sea migrating Sparrows are sometimes seen, 

 for they not only cross wide bays and estuaries, but they 

 visit remote islands, and are sometimes blown out to sea. 



In the following pages some of the more common and 

 useful species will be considered. The "Enghsh" Sparrow 

 will be treated among the enemies of birds. 



