94 THE ENGLISH SPAKROW IN AMERICA. 



Charles B. Fuller, of Portland, Me., writes: 



I have repeatedly seen the Sparrow follow the Eobins and rob them of such food as 

 they unearthed; can not say what the food was. (May 31, 1684. Present ten years 

 or more.) 



Dr. F. H. Kimball, of Rockford, 111., writes : 



I have seen the Robin more frequently molested by the Sparrow than any other bird, 

 chiefly in the way of being driven from its food or having its food stolen. (September 

 28. 1886. Present about eight years.) 



A. C. White, of Jefferson, Ashtabula County, Ohio, writes : 



I have observed that it follows Robins and Bluebirds and takes from them worms 

 and insects which they find. (September 3, 1886. Present about seven years. ) 



Sometimes the attack is entirely unprovoked and without any appar- 

 ent object, as in the following case sent by TV. J. X. Osterhant, of Provi- 

 dence, E. I. : 



March 30, 1884, heard a Robin for the first time caroling his morning song in a pine 

 tree near the house. I went out to watch him, and had not been standing long watch- 

 ing him when at least a dozen Sparrows flew up into the tree and pitched into him. 

 Poor Robin was driven from tree to tree and badly whipped. There were no nests of 

 the Sparrows near and they evidently fought the Robin, who was peaceably enjoying 

 himself, from pure hatred of any intruder. Such instances are innumerable and are 

 constantly occurring. The Robin referred to in this instance disappeared and I have 

 not seen him since. (April, 1886.) 



Native birds are frequently driven away or " crowded out w without 

 any actual attack, the Sparrows simply following them about and threat- 

 ening them until they become uneasy and leave. 



The reader should turn to the testimony of Mrs. Olive Thorne Miller, 

 of Brooklyn, N. Y., and read her account of this method, which has been 

 termed " mobbing." Similar testimony will be found under the head of 

 Washington, D. C, and in other places among the evidence. Even the 

 Kingbird is thus " mobbed" and sometimes is actually attacked. 



George B. Holmes, of Fernwood, Cook County, 111., writes : 



I have known Sparrows to challenge a Kingbird, but they were always whipped. 

 (August 27, 1886. Present about five years.) 



William F. Doertenbach, of Cleveland, Ohio, writes : 



In July, 1883, a Kingbird was attacked by two English Sparrows, but he resisted 

 and finally drove them off. In about one minute, however, he was attacked by a 

 dozen or more Sparrows from different points. He flfw straight up into the air for 

 about one hundred feet aud then swiftly to the southward. This hapx^ened in front 

 of my house. (November 8, 1886. Present about thirteen years.) 



The list of species actually attacked, without regard to nesting con- 

 troversies, is a very considerable one, but we shall only mention a few. 

 Owen Durfee, of Brooklyn, ^N". Y., writes : 



I saw a pair of Golden-crested Kinglets, November 19, 1883, and when first seen 

 about two dozen English Sparrows were attacking them. 



P. B. Loomis, of Jackson, Mich., writes : 



My carpenter, a man of veracity and close observation, says he has seen it kill our 

 smaller song sparrows. (July 20, 1884. Present about eight years.) 



