MISCELLANEOUS INJURIES. 147 



Wherever Ibe Sparrow nests this trouble is observable in greater or 

 less degree, but it is by no means limited to nesting-places. Very 

 slight modifications in architecture will often suffice to prevent the 

 Sparrows from nesting about a building, but it is impossible to keep 

 them from perching and roosting everywhere. Even the plainest and 

 barest brick front is likely to suffer, for wherever a window-cap projects 

 a few inches the Sparrows are sure to rest, and defacement is equally 

 sure to follow. In the city of Washington many of the statues and 

 fountains in the public parks are more or less disfigured by the filth of 

 the Sparrow, and in some cases the defilement is so extensive that the 

 statues become positive eye-sores, the filth being conspicuous even at 

 a distance. Sometimes a heavy rain obliterates the stains for a short 

 time, but so long as the cause remains untouched the evil is sure to re- 

 appear at more or less regular intervals. In the spring of 1886. a per- 

 sonal examination of the statues in the various parks and squares 

 showed that more than half were thus conspicuously defaced, and fur- 

 ther observation shows that almost all are affected at one time or an- 

 other. A similar state of things is often found in cemeteries where 

 Sparrows are abundant. 



Again, the benches and other resting places in parks and squares are 

 so befouled that frequently not one is available, and the adventurous 

 stranger who lingers long in such places is sure to have his apparel, as 

 well as his pleasure, marred by the omnipresent Sparrow. 



The rapidity with which these birds collect rubbish in places chosen 

 for nesting purposes is well illustrated by the trouble caused in the city 

 of Washington by their attempts to occupy gas lamps, and even the 

 globes of electric lights, with their nests. During a single day they 

 will almost fill a gas lamp, and although the rubbish is removed regu- 

 arly they persist in carrying in more. 



Oapt. Charles Bendire, of this city, has called our attention recently to 

 cedar trees in the Smithsonian grounds which have been denuded 

 almost completely of their bark by the Sparrows. The birds have 

 stripped it off to use for nesting material, and have taken not only the 

 rough outer bark, but much of the thin inner layers, leaving the trunks 

 smooth and shining. 



Another cause of complaint is the Sparrow's habit of nesting and 

 roosting in gutters, pipes, and drains of roofs. Large quantities of 

 nesting material are carried into such places and subsequently choke 

 up the pipes, sometimes causing serious overflows. In some casts such 

 trouble is easily remedied, but in most cases the damage is done before 

 the danger is suspected, and it is only possible to prevent a recurrence 

 of the mischief. We append a few examples of the complaints received. 



Mr. T. J. Martin, of Waynesborough, Ya., writes: 



Daring the years 1881 and 1882 1 was engaged in the tin trade in Lexington, Va., 

 and having considerable roofing and guttering to do, I had a chance to note the dam- 

 age done hy the English Sparrow. Formerly it had been the practice to put heads 

 or ornamental crown-pieces to the down sponts. These heads formed convenient 



