52 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



which fruit is grown almost exclusively are not likely to feel the losses 

 they occasion. 



In this connection it may be well to give briefly the results of an ex- 

 amination of the relations of Sparrows to grapes, made by direction of 

 the Commissioner of Agriculture in September, 1887. In accordance 

 with instructions, the assistant ornithologist some time among the 

 vineyards of western New York, in collecting facts as to the attitude 

 of the Sparrow toward grapes. The points visited were mainly ii] 

 the vicinity of Geneva, Watkins, Canandaigua, Penn Yan, Keuka, 

 Hammondsport, Bath, and Eochester ; three days being spent in the 

 the extensive vineyards about Seneca and Keuka Lakes in Yates and 

 Steuben Counties. Some complaints were heard at almost every point 

 visited, but it must be confessed that very little evidence decidedly un- 

 favorable to the Sparrow was collected, except in the immediate vicinity 

 of towns. 



Sparrows were found scattered about in several vineyards, but were 

 nowhere abundant, and although many bushels of ruined grapes were 

 seen, and some of the owners attributed most of the damage to the 

 Sparrows, no perfectly conclusive evidence of this could be obtained. 

 Nor is this to be wondered at when we consider all the facts in the 

 ca?e. Take Keuka Lake, for instance, the shores of which are almost 

 uniformly covered with vineyards, more than 10,000 acres of which 

 are already bearing. The two principal towns on this lake, Ham- 

 mondsport and Penn Yan, about 20 miles apart, are fairly supplied 

 with Sparrows. Between these two towns, along both shores of the 

 lake, no other crop than grapes is grown, and but for the presence of 

 weeds, there would be nothing else to tempt the Sparrows. 



In many of the vineyards, however, the weeds are purposely allowed 

 to grow unchecked between the rows so that they may be used for mulch- 

 ing in winter. The heavy crop of seed thus grown undoubtedly is a con- 

 siderable protection to the grapes, as the Sparrows feed by preference on 

 seed, and the damage which the few now present could do among so 

 many grapes would scarcely be noticed. 



In one vineyard on Keuka Lake a flock of about 100 Sparrows was 

 found apparently feeding on the grapes, and the superintendent of the 

 vineyard, Mr. A. Baker, testified most positively that they had done 

 much damage to the crop. Two birds were shot from this flock, but 

 their stomachs contained considerable numbers of weed seeds and no 

 traces of grapes. 



About Keuka Lake, there certainly were not more than two Sparrows 

 to an acre of grapes, on an average, and so long as this proportion is 

 not greatly changed no serious injury from this source need be feared. 

 Moreover, as grape-culture yields far better returns than graiu-growing 

 in this region, and as the country is not thickly settled and the winters 

 are long and snowy, it would not be difficult to restrict the increase of 

 the Sparrows so as to make them practically harmless. 



