40 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IX AMERICA. 



wickshire, Yorkshire, Lancashire, in Scotland and Wales, and in the great small- 

 frnit counties of Surrey and Kent. (Centralia, 111., December 21, 1886.) 



There can be no question that a thousand times as much energy and 

 money have been spent already in fighting Sparrows in America as were 

 expended in introducing and caring for them at first, but the results of 

 the efforts in the two cases are painfully disproportionate. 



The magnitude of the evil and the absolute necessity of taking active 

 and comprehensive measures for its abatement will be better understood 

 after an examination of the following seven sections which precede the 

 recommendations which we hope may lead finally to the extermination 

 of the European House Sparrow in America. 



INJURY TO BUDS, BLOSSOMS, AND POLIAGE. 



The direct evidence as to the alleged injury to buds, blossoms, and foli- 

 age by the Sparrow comes from 31 States, the District of Columbia, and 

 Canada, and cousists of reports from 584 observers. Of these, 265 al- 

 lege positive damage of varying kind and degree; 12 are indeterminate; 

 and the remaining 307 are favorable to the Sparrow, at least negatively, 

 inasmuch as they report no damage of this kind observed. By far the 

 greater part (294) of these negative reports, however, have little weight, 

 being brief, often monosyllabic, negatives written in reply to the schedule 

 questions, without anything to indicate the extent or closeness of the 

 writer's observation. Less than one twentieth — scarcely more than a 

 dozen reports, in fact — indicate that, in spite of good opportunities and 

 careful observation, no injury to buds or foliage has been noted. Ninety 

 observers report injuries to foliage of vines, shrubs, and trees through 

 the Sparrow's roosting or nesting in them in large numbers. One hun- 

 dred and twelve report injuries from the eating or wanton destruction 

 of buds and blossoms of fruit trees. Forty-six report injuries to buds 

 of other kinds; and thirty- four report injuries to trees or vines without 

 specifying the nature or extent of the damage. 



INJURY BY FILTH. 



The question of injury by filth can hardly be called a question at all, 

 as it is one of the points against the bird which is universally conceded, 

 even by its stanch est friends. It is perfectly safe to say that in every 

 town or city in the Union where Sparrows are really abundant very many 

 ornamental trees and vines are annually injured from this cause alone? 

 and the statement that such damage is not known at any point may be 

 taken as conclusive evidence that the Sparrow is by no means abundant 

 there. A few scores of Sparrows may roost constantly in a large vine 

 or group of trees without doing material injury, but when, as is frequently 

 the case, several hundreds or even thousands roost together, so that the 

 vines or branches are actually crowded with them, the beauty of the 

 foliage is seriously marred or altogether destroyed and the life of the 

 trees or vines is endangered. 



