NATIVE BIRDS MOLESTED. 81 



tion molestation of " native birds ;" forty-eight reports speak of " other 

 birds" being driven off; seventy-eight reports state that the Sparrow 

 molests or drives off "nearly all species;" twenty-eight claim a similar 

 effect on " all small birds ; " five claim the same for " yard birds," and 

 two for "domestic birds." 



Ten observers report attacks upon domesticated doves or pigeons, and 

 one each on hens and chickens. 



It will thus be seen that the reports mention specifically seventy 

 kinds of wild birds which are known to be molested more or less by the 

 Sparrow. A majority of these birds are species which nest about 

 houses and gardens, and, with the exception of the crow, jay, and pos- 

 sibly one or two others, all are decidedly beneficial to the farmer and 

 gardener. 



Naturally the birds most affected are those whose nesting habits are 

 similar to those of the Sparrow; that is which nest mainly in boxes 

 provided for them ; in cavities or cornices of buildings ; under the 

 eaves of barns or outhouses, or in the natural cavities of trees. 



Thus, in a total of about 1,860 complaints, we find that more than 

 half relate to martins, swallows, wrens, and bluebirds, whose nests or 

 nesting places are coveted by the Sparrow. 



But in most places the Sparrows long since outgrew such accommo- 

 dations and were compelled to build nests among the branches of trees, 

 like other birds; and at once such bulky nests as those of the robin, 

 catbird, etc., were seized upon and utilized either as building material 

 or as foundations for new nests. Thus new quarrels have been con- 

 tinually originating, and the Sparrow has been steadily encroaching on 

 the territory of other birds. Although a large part of the trouble with 

 native birds has doubtless arisen from questions over nesting places, 

 still there is abundance of testimony that the Sparrow molests birds 

 under other circumstances. 



Nearly one-third of all the complaints of injury to other birds relate 

 to species whose nesting and food habits are very different from those 

 of the Sparrow, and whose relations with this bird might reasonably be 

 expected to be peaceful and pleasant. Among such may be mentioned 

 the mockingbird, chipping sparrow, song sparrow, goldfinch, Balti- 

 more oriole, yellow warbler, and vireos. Of course many of these 

 birds, as well as those previously mentioned, offer more or less resist- 

 ance to the advances of the Sparrow, but in most cases the resist- 

 ance is useless and the native birds are compelled to retire from the 

 field sooner or later. It may be well, however, to postpone such general 

 considerations and conclusions until we have taken up the charges 

 against the Sparrow one at a time and submitted evidence on both sides 

 of the question. In doing this, it will be convenient to divide the sub- 

 ject into three parts: 



I. The relation of the Sparrow to birds which nest principally in 

 cavities, natural or artificial, and often in boxes prepared by man. 

 8404— Bull. 1 G 



