92 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



cious as the Mockingbird and Catbird, but in most cases these doubters 

 lose sight of the fact that many birds are more readily driven away by 

 small annoyances often repeated than by a single strong attack, and al- 

 though almost all birds defend their young valiantly, they are very apt 

 to desert nests which are in process of construction if disturbed while 

 at work, or before any eggs are laid. Even the Purple Grackle or Crow 

 Blackbird is not exempt from the Sparrow's attacks, and the following 

 testimony shows that it does not always resist these attacks success 

 fully: 

 Dr. J. F. Detweiler ; of Wadsworth, Medina County, Ohio, writes : 



The boat-tailed blackbird [Purple Grackle] has roosted and uested for many years 

 in some large pines in a neighbor's yard across the street, but last year the Sparrows 

 drove them away, and occupied tbe trees with their nests, a hundred or more in num- 

 ber. (December 10, 1887. Present about thirteen years.) 



sparrow versus vireos. 



Many of the smaller birds which use varioussoft materials in the con- 

 struction of their nests are continually robbed by the Sparrow. 



Dr. B. H. Warren, of West Chester Pa., has given a graphic account 

 (published elsewhere) of the destruction by Sparrows of the nest and 

 young of a Warbling Tireo ; and the following notes relating to other 

 vireos were received recently from George H. Berry, of North Liver- 

 more, Me. : 



At Holyoke, Mass., on June 5, 1884, I found a set of eggs of the White-Eyed vireo, 

 and also another set begun with two eggs. On June 7 this last nest was forsaken, 

 and in a box iu the tree two pairs of English Sparrows were buildiug their nests. On 

 June 8 I saw a fight between a pair of birds, but could not tell what they were, so 

 fired and shot them. One was a female English Sparrow, the other a male White- 

 eyed Vireo. Ou June 12 I found an English Sparrow appropriating the nest of a 

 viieo, and carrying away to her own nest the material of which it was composed. On 

 the 14th of June I found two empty vireos' nests, partially destroyed, probably by 

 either the English Sparrow or Kingbird. 



RELATION OF THE SPARROW TO OTHER BIRDS UNDER SUCH CONDI- 

 TIO?* S THAT THE QUESTION OF NESTING HAS NO DIRECT INFLU- 

 ENCE. 



Nearly all the species already mentioned have occasional encounters 

 with the Sparrow, even at times when all have good nesting places ; 

 but it is probable that the ill feeling which prompts these quarrels was 

 originally engendered by conflicts over nests or nesting places. There 

 are many species, however, which appear to be very unfavorably affected 

 by the presence of the Sparrow, yet which do not seem to come in con- 

 flict at all as regards nesting places. In some cases the trouble may be 

 caused by competition for food, but in very many cases it is difficult to 

 account for the quarrel except on the ground that one of the combat- 

 ants is naturally pugnacious and has made an unprovoked attack on 

 the other. 



