EVIDENCE. — INJURY TO GRAIN CROPS. 255 



largely. Any small seed, such as oats, millet, etc., is eagerly sought after when sowed 

 and lightly covered. (June 27, 1887. Present about four years.) 



Schriever. Postmaster : It injures the rice crop. (October 8, 1886. Present one or 

 two years.) 



Maine.— North Livermore (country.) George H. Berry. They eat oats and wheat 

 in the field, working on it in the same manner as the bobolink. As far as observed 

 rye and barley are not eaten. (August 23, 1886. Present about three years.) 



Maryland.— Baltim ore. Otto Lugger: Wheat and other ripening cereals are eaten, 

 and the Sparrows injure more by their weight than by their appetite. (May 10, 1887.) 



Massachusetts. — Cambridge. Dr. H. A. Hagen: I have not observed that it injures 

 grain here, but I have no doubt it will do so in the fall, as it certainly does to a cer- 

 tain extent in Germany. (April 13, 1884. Present about eleven years. ) 



Holyolce. Thomas Chalmers: In the grain districts the Sparrow is very destructive 

 to the grain crop; and in my opinion all the good qualities of the bird will not counter- 

 balance the damage done in this way. (March 6, 1884. Present about fifteen years.) 



Somerset. Elisha Shade : The Sparrow feeds upon all the cereals to as great an ex- 

 tent as any native bird. He devours Indian corn in the milk, and is as destructive 

 in this respect as the crow or blackbird, because he stays in the field and will not 

 easily be driven out. (October 19, 1885. ) 



Michigan.— Ann Arbor. J. B. Steere: It has already moved out into the country 

 to some extent, and lives on wheat when standing and nearly ripe, and also when in 

 the shock. (1885.) 



Bad Axe. J. T. Rorick : It gathers newly sown grain from fields, and shells graiu 

 from standing crops. (October 7, 1886. Present about three years.) 



Centreville. J. A. Russell: When the grain fields are near the town it injures them 

 by breaking down the stalk and picking out and destroying the grain. (October 8, 

 1886. Present about seven years.) 



Hartford. Edward Finley : It feeds on grain stacks in the vicinity of the village 

 in flocks of several hundred. (October I), 1886. Present about seven years.) 



Jackson. P. B. Loomis : I have seen it picking up the sown oats. (July 20, 1881. 

 Present eight years. ) 



Kalamazoo. Dr. Morris Gibbs : It injures graiu crops, more particularly oats, but 

 also buckwheat, wheat, and any and all grains excepting corn in a dry state. It eats 

 green corn. (November 23, 1886. Present nine or ten years.) 



LicJcley Comers (country). A. H. Carver : It is reported to have nearly destroyed 

 some small fields of wheat 10 or 12 miles north of here. (August 24, 1886. Present 

 one or two years.) 



Marshall. Samuel S. Lacey : Farmers complain that when it gets a footing it in- 

 jures wheat both before it is cut and in the shock, and even troubles their stacks. 

 (November 20, 1886. Present about six years.) 



Paw Paw (village and country). Postmaster: They alight on heads of wheat and 

 oats and break them down; they also pick out the grains of wheat and oats in the, 

 sheaf. (November 4, 1886. Present twelve years.) 



Petersburgh (country). Jerome Trombley : I have seen it feeding largely on standing 

 crops of oats and wheat, as well as when in the shock and stack. (August 23, 1886. 

 Present about nine years. ) 



Schoolcraft. P. D. Miller: Farmers tell me that it worked on their wheat and is 

 now working on their corn. (October 11, 1886. Present about nine years.) 



Tecumseh. C. A. Wright and C. A. Story: The injury is much greater to grain 

 thau to fruit or vegetables. It feeds first on grain, second on fruit, third on insects. 

 When it is abundant it certainly destroys much grain. (October 11,1886. Present 

 seven years.) 



Watrousville (country). E. B. Hayes: Large flocks settle down upon standing 

 wheat when nearly or quite ripe, and not only feed upon it, but shell out the graiu* 

 (Octoiber 25, 1886. Present about four wars.) 



