234 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



weather of that winter. Although many have heeri destroyed by subsequent win- 

 ters, the destruction has never been so general since. Whenever we have a hail- 

 storm large numbers are killed. After one such storm, accompanied by lightning, 

 this last summer over a half bushel of dead Sparrows were found under a few trees 

 in a single yard. I noticed a sparrow-hawk within a few days hunting Sparrows in 

 a thickly-settled portion of the city. Owing to the many checks, Sparrows do not 

 seem to have increased during the last two seasons. (September 28, 1886.) 



JS T eio Albany. James N. Payton : Last winter was an exceedingly cold winter, and 

 many Sparrows froze to death or were starved out. (September, 1885.) 



Indiana. — Indianapolis. J. G. Kingsbury : No means in a public way has been 

 taken to restrict its increase. A man living here traps large numbers to sell to marks- 

 men for sporting purposes, but the thousands he takes at the grain elevators make no 

 perceptible diminution in the crop. (August 18, 188G.) 



Iowa. — Burlington. Howard Kingsbury: One pair under my observation raised 

 three broods, aggregating nine birds, and two of the eggs were removed. (December 

 28, 1886.) 



Corydon. J. S. Whittaker: One observer on a farm 5 miles from town says they 

 are in his barn, get in through a knot-hole, and when outside are sometimes attacked 

 by his doves and" driven in again. (October, 1886.) 



Dubuque. Edward T. Keim: A petition to the city council, asking for the exter- 

 mination of the Sparrow, was generally signed. (August 19, 1886.) 



Kansas. — Topclta F. W. Giles : No means has been taken to restrict their increase 

 here; but, being entirely left to care for themselves, many perish in winter storms, 

 and many from depredations of the blue jay, while the insufficiency of nesting places 

 is a great hinderance to their increase. There has been no perceptible increase of 

 Sparrows in Topeka for the last five years. (October 6, 1886.) 



Kentucky. — Bowling Green. Postmaster: Some have been shot, and one or two 

 successful efforts have been made to poison them with strychnine mixed with dough, 

 but the danger of this method has restricted its use. (October 3, 1886.) 



Lancaster. W. H. Wherritt : They were greatly thinned out in this vicinity by 

 the exceptionally cold winters of 1884-'85, and 1885-'86. (October 11, 1886.) 



Taylorsville. Ruth C. Burton : Many perished from the severe cold last winter. 

 (October 30,1886.) 



Louisiana. — Scbriever. Postmaster: No means whatever has been taken to re- 

 strict the increase of Sparrows here. They are so plentiful that they can not be de- 

 stroyed. (October 8, 1886.) 



Maine. — North Livcrmore. George II. Berry : To-day I found a thorn bush in 

 which was a nest of a shrike (species not determined) containing four young. Im- 

 paled on the thorns were numbers of large insects (mostly grasshoxmers), a few 

 mice, a small green snake, and quite a number of birds, among them a red-eyed vireo, 

 a couple of chipping or bush sparrows, an indigo bunting, and seven English Spar- 

 rows. Under the tree, or rather clump of trees, were the bodies of three more En- 

 glish Sparrows. I think the shrike, where found, is fully as good an agent as any in 

 effecting the destruction of the English Sparrow. (December 20, 1887.) 



Maryland. — Baltimore. Otto Lugger: The only means taken to restrict its in- 

 crease is the destruction of its eggs in the parks. (May 10, 1887.) 



Baltimore. Dr. A. P. Sharp: The rapidity of their increase is wonderful ; three to 

 four broods a season, and the young or spring birds hatch out a brood the same sea- 

 son, before fully grown. The old birds begin to lay very early in the spring and keep 

 it up late in the fall. I usually leave the country about October 1, and before doing 

 so destroy all the eggs, often five in a nest. I have a number of boxes within easy 

 reach, and when they build in them I usually wait until the young are nearly ready 

 to leave the nest, and then give my cats a feast of them. I sometimes kill from four 

 to six birds by baiting for them in my chicken yard with wheat or rye. There ought 

 to be a law passed to compel every farmer to present to the couuty clerk a certain 



