90 THE ENGLISH SPARROW Itf AMERICA. 



About eighty observers report molestation of swallows without giv- 

 ing the specific name, while only six cases of successful resistance are 

 mentioned. 



H. Morrison, of Ithaca, Gratiot County, Mich., writes : 



Robins, swallows, and native sparrows make some resistance, but with no success; 

 they are all gone now. I have seen a swallow fight over a nest until it was nearly 

 killed, so that it died soon after. (October 6, 1886. Present four years.) 



W. O. Markham, of Eochester, N. Y., writes : 



I have seen half-grown swallows attacked by Sparrows and drawn from their nests 

 and destroyed. (September 19, 1887.) 



The last two notes may refer to the White-bellied Swallow, already 

 mentioned, a species commonly nesting in holes in trees, but sometimes 

 also in boxes or in nooks about buildings. 



sparrow versus ROBIN. 



The influence which the Sparrow exerts on the Kobiu during the nest- 

 ing season may be inferred from the following: 

 From E. Bradford, Sparta, Kent County, Mich.: 



The Robin comes every spring and tries to build nests, but is driven away. (Octo- 

 ber, 1886. Present about six years.) 



From Edward T. Keim, Dubuque, Iowa: 



For many years a pair of Robins nested in an apple tree here, and shortly after the 

 introduction of the Sparrow they were attacked, but with man's assistance the Spar- 

 rows were kept off for two seasons. Force of numbers, however, finally prevailed, and 

 the Robins have not been seen now for years. (August 19, 1885. Present about ten 

 years.) 



.. From F. J. 0. Swift, Falmouth, Barnstable County, Mass.: 



Last spring I observed a female Sparrow, unassisted by the male, frequently, for 

 two days engage in battle with a male and female Robin for possession of the Robin's 

 completed nest, and at the expiration of that time she drove them from the premises 

 and occupied their nest. (Autumn, 1885.) 



From Dr. A. B. McCrea, Berwick, Columbia County, Pa.: 



During the past season I knew an instance where the Sparrows attacked a pair of 

 Robins, broke their eggs, and literally destroyed their nest. (September 1, 1885.) 



From H. A. Koch, College Hill, Hamilton County, Ohio: 



I noticed one case in the spring of 1884, where a pair of Robins had a nest contain- 

 ing eggs in a poplar tree near a house. A pair of Sparrows drove the female away, 

 tipped out the eggs, and built a nest of their own on top of the Robin's, and it soon 

 after contained five eggs. (August 25, 1885.) 



From Dr. R. L. Walker, Mansfield, Allegheny Couuty, Pa.: 

 A friend tells me he found a dead young Robin on the sidewalk, and on looking up 

 into the tree which stood alongside, he saw the Sparrows busy trying to throw out 

 the other young Robins and tear up the nest in the absence of the old birds. (July, 

 1887. Present about five years.) 



Many similar instances have been reported and will be found in full 

 in their proper place. In all one hundred and eighty-two complaints of 

 molestation of the Eobin have been received, against twenty-eight re- 

 ports of mora or less successful resistance. 



