EVIDENCE.- — INCREASE AND CHECKS. 235 



number every season in part payment of his tax bill, so as to keep down their rapid 

 increase. (February 16, 1887.) 



The Sparrows know me as well as my dogs, and I can not get near them. They have 

 the keenest hearing of anything I know. The cock of the gun drives them in every 

 direction, even when I cock inside of the house with shutters partly closed. It is im- 

 possible to get a shot at them outside. I formerly killed a good many, but now 

 have tried every means to feed them. They will eat with the chickens, seeming 

 to know that I will not shoot them. (February 29, 1887.) 



Sandy Spring. II. H. Miller and other members of county farmers' club : At a 

 meeting of the Montgomery Farmers' Club held on the 13th instant, the following 

 resolution was unanimously passed : Resolved, That, in the opinion of this club, the 

 English Sparrow is an unmitigated evil, and should be fought incessantly until driven 

 out of the country. (February 16, 1887.) 



Massachusetts. — Cambridge. William Brewster: It rears three broods yearly at 

 least ; twelve young yearly to a pair would not be an overestimate. A few are killed 

 by boys with stones, " catapults," etc., but the number so destroyed is inconsiderable. 

 Fire-arms can not be used within our city limits, and the Sparrow can not be easily 

 trapped. No bounty has been offered here, but one has been paid this year, I un- 

 derstand, in the neighboring town of Waltham. (January 30, 1884.) 



Michigan. — Ann Arbor. Israel Hall : Inasmuch as the depredations of these birds 

 are universal, the effort and expense of their extermination should be national and 

 simultaneous. The birds being the adjuncts of higb civilization, will be found in 

 cities and villages in about the proportions of their respective poimlations. There- 

 fore, I will suggest that you try experiments by feeding wheat that has been satu- 

 rated in a solution of arsenic. If this be effectual, procure a commission with power 

 to purchase and saturate, in every city and village, such quantity of wheat as will 

 be needed to scatter in the streets during February, when the birds are starved and 

 frozen to the least numbers. If this be discreetly done, I think the birds will be ex- 

 terminated in the course of three winters. (June 10, 1887.) 



Flint. John Campbell: So far as Genesee County is concerned, the bounty on 

 Sparrows has amounted to nothing. I have paid for such purposes, since the law- 

 took effect, ,$1.02 and that to one person, who had killed the birds more for sport thau 

 for the bounty. In my opinion the bounty will have to be increased materially beibre 

 it will be much of an inducement for men or boys to spend their time in destroying 

 the birds. (April 9, 1888.) 



Homer. C. F. Collins: The hard winter of 1885-86 nearly destroyed these birds in 

 this section. I do not think there are more than about one hundred here now. 

 (October 8, 1886.) 



Ionia. J. Warren Peake : In my opinion the bounty law of 1887 has been a total 

 failure in this county. More heroic measures will have to be adopted or the Spar- 

 rows will continue to increase. (March 30, 1888.) 



Manistique. W.H.Hill and Cor win Adkins: The winters are very long and cold 

 on this upper peninsula, and a good many Sparrows die each winter. (October 28, 

 1886.) 



Mason. W. D. Longyear : It is my opinion that the passing of the act for the pay- 

 ment of bounties has not reduced the number of Sparrows in this county enough to 

 be discernible, although there have beeu some Sparrows killed. One reason why I 

 think there have not been more killed is that the bounty is so small that any per- 

 son who undertakes to kill twenty-five Sparrows will give it up before he secures 

 the required number. (March 30, 1888.) 



Port Huron. William Burns : In this county act No. 29 of the laws of 1887 has not 

 been efficacious in reducing the number of Sparrows. It seems to be generally con- 

 ceded that the bounties are too small. Also people in the township consider it an 

 additional annoyance to have to apply to the county for payment. If the bounties 



