74 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



From Frank S. Piatt, New Haven, Conn.: 



A short time ago I cradled a small piece of oats, and the Sparrows gathered on the 

 shocks in such ilocks that I shot fifty-four with one barrel and thirty-five with the 

 other. (September 9, 1886. Present fifteen years or more.) 



From Eobert W. Barrell, South Bethlehem, Northampton County, 

 Pa.: 



I once saw about an acre of oats almost entirely destroyed by the Sparrows. They 

 also do great damage to Egyptian rice; a moderate-sized flock will destroy an acre 

 in a season. (September 16, 1886.) 



From H. B. Bailey, East Orange, Essex County, N. J.: 



It totally destroyed a field of ripe oats back of our house, so that the owner cut it 

 down for bedding. Others tell me they have witnessed the same thing. (February 

 7, 1884. Present ten years or more.) 



From Dr. E. Sterling, Cleveland, Ohio: 



The only instance I know of in which the Sparrows threatened serious injury to 

 grain was on a farm where a man killed 102 of them at four shots iuto a small flock 

 that was inspecting his seed oats; and the owner tells me that if he had not slaugh- 

 tered and driven them off, he would not have gathered a bushel of oats from his acre 

 and a-half. (February 25, 1834.) 



From H. Volkeniug, Lenzburgh, Saint Clair County, 111. : 



Farmers say the Sparrow destroys about five per cent, of the wheat, and especially 

 oats, in the field. (October 4, 1883. Present about three years.) 



From Elisha Slade, Somerset, Bristol County, Mass.: 



Bird for bird, or collectively, they are more destructive to rye, oats, barley, and 

 Indian corn, than crows and blackbirds. The English Sparrows are enormous eaters, 

 and so semi-domestic are thef that it is not easy to scare them away from the grain 

 fields. They cling to the shock and stack with grain-loving tenacity. (August 20, 

 1886. Present about twelve years.) 



INJURY TO RYE AND BARLEY. 



Although between forty and fifty reports of injury to rye have been 

 received, it is evident that for some reason it is much less often attacked 

 than either of the grains already mentioned. 



The same is true, but to a still greater extent, with regard to barley, 

 for many observers state that the Sparrow will not touch barley so 

 long as it can get anything else. Nevertheless, there are doubtless 

 times when these grains suffers considerably from the attacks of the 

 Sparrow. 



Hubert L. Clark, of Amherst, Mass., writes : 



It is here continually except about the time the rye crop is gathered; it then visits 

 the fields and does much damage to the rye. (October 2, 1885.) 



J. T. Bodkin, of Patriot, Switzerland County, Ind., writes: 



It works on wheat, rye, and oats, and on corn while young and tender. I have ex- 

 amined one or two dead ones and found their craws filled with wheat and rye. (May 

 24, 1887. Present about three years.) 



INJURY TO FIELD CORN. 



The injury to garden corn has already been spoken of, but it should 

 be noted that the Sparrow does not confine its raids to gardens, but at- 



