THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 151 



rows, orioles, vireos, the mocking-bird, and scores of others 

 are on the list of those thus molested. 



As an example of one of the ways in which these spar- 

 rows harass our native birds, we quote the following letter, 

 published in the excellent " Listener" column of the Boston 

 Transcript. 



" Dear Listener, — I have been advised by friends interested 

 in the English sparrow problem to send you an account of 

 what I myself saw, and what was at the same time seen by 

 several others called by me as witnesses. 



" Near my school-house (the Washington), within the 

 grounds of Dr. John W. Driver, Brattle Street, is an American 

 elm whose branches extend far out over the street. It has 

 been a favorite nesting-place for the Baltimore oriole for several 

 consecutive years, so that we have become accustomed to 

 watching not only the most interesting process of nest-building, 

 but also the care and labor given to the feeding and rearing 

 of their young. 



" On or near the 20th of June my attention was fixed upon 

 the nest by seeing an English sparrow alight upon it. In a 

 few moments the mother bird returned with food for her little 

 ones, who greeted her with their accustomed cries of welcome. 

 Instantly upon alighting she was seized by the sparrow, both 

 of whom went fluttering to the ground, contact with which 

 broke the sparrow's grip. For a moment both remained 

 facing each other, the oriole trembling as if in great fear. 

 Then, to my surprise, the oriole flew in search of food, while 

 the sparrow flew directly to the nest again, to await the return 

 of the mother oriole. It waited but a brief time, when there 

 occurred a repetition of the fluttering to the ground. This 

 we observed, with others, for as many as six times, when our 

 duties called us from the scene. 



" Noticing the nest in the autumn, and believing that here 

 had taken place another ' bird tragedy,' we secured the nest, 



