128 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



Geometric! larva not identified ; in two others the pupa of a Dipteron 

 and small Lepidopterous larvse, and in two others spiders — none of the 

 species identified. 



My assistant, Mr. Otto Lugger, reports to me that during the month 

 of May, 1883, in Baltimore, Md., he dissected twelve English Sparrows. 

 They were all killed in the yard of his house, which is situated in the 

 outskirts of the city, and at that time was in the close vicinity of many 

 trees. The climbing roses in this yard, as well as in those of the neigh- 

 boring gardens, were badly infested by one of the rose-slugs (Selandria), 

 and the sparrows, which were in the habit of resting upon the bars 

 supporting the roses, were killed to ascertain whether or not they had 

 eaten any of the slugs. The dissections revealed no trace of these, and 

 only the legs of two flies (Muscidce) were discovered. The great bulk 

 of food consisted of grain and flower seeds of various kinds, taken from 

 the very same yard. The only large pea eaten by the birds contained, 

 snugly inclosed, a pea-weevil (Bruchus j)i&i)> 



The above constitute all the more reliable dissections that have been 

 made; but Dr. Merriam has gathered together and submitted to me a 

 very large number (five hundred and ninety-one) of reports not based 

 on dissections, and made by persons who in some instances had seen 

 the Sparrows feeding upon iusects; in others not. It is exceedingly 

 difficult to analyze these reports, which will be duly published by him. 



Of these five hundred and ninety-one reports two hundred and sixty- 

 seven are mainly favorable to the Sparrow, in the sense that all insects 

 eaten are considered injurious; one hundred and thirty eight are un- 

 favorable; one hundred and eight are indeterminate, and seventy-eight 

 correspondents believe that insects are only eaten by the bird when 

 forced to do so. 



The following summary, prepared by Mr. Barrows, will convey a very 

 good idea of the character of these reports. Only the more definite 

 reports have been selected, and mainly those in which some attempt 

 had been made to identify the insects, including also a certain number 

 of dissections : 



Kills canker-worms in large numbers. — A. C. Sheldon, New Haven, Conn.; R. D. 

 Camp, New Haven, Conn.; W. B. Barrows, Middletown, Conn. 



Does not kill cabbage- worms. — W. Holmead, Mount Pleasant, D. C. 



Eats moths of fall web- worms. — J. Halley, Washington, D. C. 



Feeds upon cabbage- worms, flies, ants, etc. — W. A. Porter, Alpharetta, Ga. 



As a destroyer of caterpillars, it is a failure.— Hon. W. A. Harris, Atlanta, Ga. 



Prefers Crickets and Grasshoppers. — Th. B. Lumpkin, Buena Vista, Ga. 



Never touches Cabbage-worm or Cotton- worm. — J. H. Barnes, Griffin, Ga. 



Probably eats many Bot-flies. — Dr. D. Berry, Carmi, 111. 



Feeds its young with insects for seven or eight days after hatching. — Jabez Web- 

 ster, Centralia, 111. 



Eats an occasional Tobacco-worm and Grasshopper. — G. B. Holmes, Fernwood, 111. 



Seen to catch Army-worms by the thousand. — Charles Becker, Freeburgh, 111. 



Have not noticed it eating Army-worms or other injurious insects. — A. Gierschner, 

 New Athens, 111. 



