VEGETATION INJURED BY FILTH. 41 



A few examples will suffice to illustrate this statement. 

 Mr. Robert Ridgway, Ornithologist of the Smithsonian Institution, 

 says: 



It is injurious to ornamental vines, etc., "by the chemical actiou of its excrement. 

 The luxuriant English ivy which once covered portions of the Smithsonian building 

 was thus totally destroyed. 



Dr. Frank H. Braymer, of West Pawlet, Yt., under date of August 

 31, 1886, writes: 



All evergreen trees and hedges are inj ured by the birds roosting in them . The leaves 

 drop off and in many instances large sections of a hedge die. 



Ernest D. Wintle, of Montreal, Canada, writes: 



They build their nests in the vines that are trained against walls of houses here, 

 and the vines are killed by the large quantity of nesting material and by the excre- 

 ment from the birds. (September 20, 1886.) 



Other reports are : 

 From Fred. S. Odle, Lapeer, Mich. : 



There are two large maple trees in our town which are particular haunts of the 

 Sparrow, and which they have nearly ruined. 



From L. M. Mottweiler, Georgetown, Ind.: 



It injures trees aud vines by roosting in them. I had to cut away my ornamental 

 trees on account of the number of Sparrows near the house. They now roost in my 

 grape-vines. 



From Charles H. Lawton and John J. Peckham, Newport, R. I.: 



It injures hardy ivies on buildings, also pine trees. We know of parties who have 

 had to cut down trees on account of the Sparrows. 



From William Saunders, superintendent of garden aud grounds of 

 the Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C: 



They seriously disfigure ornamental vines by their nests and droppings. Amjpefop- 

 sis Veitchii affords them one of the best nesting and roosting places, and suffers cor- 

 respondingly. 



The damage occasioned to vines in which large numbers of Sparrows 

 nest is too well known to require comment, but the following statement 

 will give some idea of the numbers which nest in such vines when fa- 

 vorably situated. Eli W. Blake, 3d, of Providence, R. I., says : 



During the season of 1884, from April 22 to June 27, inclusive, I took, in com- 

 pany with a friend, 995 Sparrows' eggs from the ivy covering the walls of St. Stephen's 

 Church, on George street, in this city. I did not count the nests, but estimate the num- 

 ber at about fifty-five or sixty * * * 



I have reason to suppose that eggs were occasionally taken during this period with- 

 out my knowledge ; the figures given, however, I can personally vouch for. * * * 

 The same year (1884) that I took the eggs from St. Stephen's, the sexton of St. John's 

 Church, also in this city, took 970 eggs and two cart-loads of nests from that building, 

 at one lime. (April 20, 1886.) 



Other kinds of injury, less general and not so serious as the preced- 

 ing, but still not to be ignored, are specified in the following replies: 

 Dr. G-eorge J. Fisher, of Sing Sing, N. Y., writes : 



They roost on my Euglish ivy aud injure it by picking off hundreds of fresh green 

 leaves. I find the leaf stalks fairly chewed by them. They also disfigure the foliage 

 by their excrement. (March 18, 1887.) 



