82 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



II. The relation of the Sparrow to birds which usually nest in trees, 

 or at least not in places especially prepared for them by man, but whose 

 nests or nesting sites are often appropriated by the Sparrow. 



III. The relation of the Sparrow to other species than those included 

 under the two preceding heads, or to those species under such condi- 

 tions that the question of nesting has no direct influence. 



RELATION OF THE SPARROW TO BIRDS WHICH NEST PRINCIPALLY 

 IN CAVITIES, NATURAL OR ARTIFICIAL, AND OFTEN IN BOXES 

 PREPARED BY MAN. 



The birds coming most naturally under this head are the bluebird, 

 the purple martin, the white-bellied swallow, and the house wren, species 

 which appear to suffer more severely from the encroachments of the 

 Sparrow than all others combined. 



Strange as it may seem, it is very evident that some observers are in 

 doubt as to what consitutes an attack on a bird, and many more are 

 uncertain as to the meaning of the word molest. 



Thus one man writes : 



If the Sparrow molests native birds, it has escaped ruy observation. Wrens and 

 bluebirds attempt to reclaim former nesting sites ; the former always succeeding, so 

 far as I bave observed; the latter seldom. 



There can scarcely be any question that a Sparrow molests another 

 bird when he takes possession of that bird's nest or former nesting 

 place and holds it against all efforts of the rightful owner 5 and this is 

 precisely what the Sparrow does in thousands of places every spring. 



John Bessmer, of Hastings, Barry County, Mich., writes: 



* * * I bave bad good opportunities for observation, and I believe tbe facts are 

 tbese : Staying over winter, as be does, tbe Sparrow selects good nesting places, and 

 tben, wben tbe Wren, Bluebird, or Martin comes in tbe spring, sometimes be finds bis 

 old nesting place occupied and tbe figbt commences. If it is a Bluebird, be will drive 

 balf a dozen Sparrows away, unless tbey sbould bave eggs or young, in wbicb case tbey 

 can not be driven. * * * Last spring tbey tried to drive a pair of Sparrows out of 

 a bird-bouse wbere tbe Bluebirds bad a nest tbe year before, but tbe Sparrows were 

 breeding tben and stood tbeir ground well. Tben tbe Bluebirds built tbeir nest in tbe 

 otber balf of tbe same bouse, and afterwards lived in barmony, tbe Sparrows in tbe 

 uortb balf and tbe Bluebirds in tbe south, with only a partition between. (October 7, 

 1886. Present about ten years.) 



sparrow versus BLUEBIRD and purple martin. 



The Bluebird undoubtedly is one of the pluckiest of our native birds, 

 and when it has eggs or young the Sparrow has hard work to dislodge 

 it, yet even then it sometimes succeeds. On the other hand, when the 

 Sparrow appropriates a box before the return of the Bluebird, in most 

 cases it holds it against all new-comers. In reply to the schedule 

 question as to the species which resist the encroachments of the Spar- 

 row, thirty-three observers report the Bluebird as uniformly successful, 

 and thirty report it as successful sometimes, a total of only sixty-three 



