INJURY TO RICE AND BUCKWHEAT. 77 



W. 0. Percy, jr., of Black Hawk, CoDCordia Parisb, La., writes: 



During the summer of 1886 it destroyed quantities of corn, oats, and rice. It is 

 worse on corn and oats than any other bird. (September 15, 1886. Present about 

 two years.) 



The postmaster at Edgard, Saint John Baptist Parish, La., writes: 



It injures rice seed very much [in the spring], and annoys farmers very much when 

 the crop is ready to harvest. (October 7, 1886. Present two years.) 



E. J. Engman, of Concession, Plaquemines Parish, La., writes: 



I can not say when the Sparrows first appeared here, but it is only within two 

 years that we have noticed them on the rice-fields, where they come in flocks, and 

 are more destructive than the blackbird or rice-bird Being so tame, they are very 

 troublesome, as you can not scare them as you can the rice-bird. Last year they 

 were very numerous during planting and harvesting. This spring I do not see as 

 many, but they are making their appearance very fast, and every one is troubled 

 more or less. (April 21, 1888. Piesent two or three years.) 



The losses occasioned to rice-growers by the depredations of migra- 

 tory birds are so heavy already that many planters have preferred to 

 abandon the culture of rice rather than keep up the expensive warfare 

 which is necessary in order to save any large proportion of the crop. 



By early planting it is sometimes possible to harvest a part of the crop 

 before the rice-birds arrive from the north, but should the English Spar- 

 row once obtain a strong foothold in the rice districts, and increase as 

 rapidly as he has done elsewhere, the rice-grower will be compelled to 

 fight a species which is present the entire year, which multiplies more 

 than twice as rapidly as any native bird, and which is so ravenous and 

 at the same time so cunning that it can not be combatted successfully 

 with the same means employed against the native birds. 



INJURY TO BUCKWHEAT. 



One other crop suffers from the Sparrow's depredations wherever it 

 is grown. This is buckwheat, of which the bird is very fond, attacking 

 it under almost all circumstances. As buckwheat is not grown exten- 

 sively, however, we have not received any large number of complaints 

 as yet; but the two following show that the Sparrow is true to his nat- 

 ure, and will not neglect his opportunities. 



From A. H. Boies, Hudson, Lenawee County, Mich.: 



I have seen large flocks settle on buckwheat. (August 19, 1880. Present about 

 eleven years.) 



From n. J. Gay lord, Binghamton, Broome County, 1ST. Y.: 



He destroys buckwheat while it is standing in the field. Thousands of them are 

 in my field to-day. (September 26, 1885.) 



NEGATIVE EVIDENCE. 



There is no side of this grain question which can be fairly said to 

 be favorable. The question of benefit from eating weed-seed has al- 

 ready been discussed, and the few reports which claim that the Sparrow 



