266 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



and the little wren holds its own with him, I do not believe the Sparrow drives 

 away any of our native birds, I speak from careful observation, and they are just as 

 plentiful here now as before the advent of the Sparrow. I have never seen the Spar- 

 rows band themselves together for attack, and am satisfied they do not do it ; it is 

 pair against pair. The assertion that they attack other birds in a body is sheer non- 

 sense ; no such thing is known in natural history of any species of bird. (September 

 24, 1886. Present twelve or fourteen years.) 



Odin (suburbs). W. Ingram : The house wren sometimes has trouble with the Spar- 

 row, but as a general rule they live in harmony. The Sparrow is not known to a 

 certainty to have driven off any bird, but there is a noticeable decrease in the number 

 of purple martins since the Sparrows have become numerous. (February 24, 1887. 

 Present about six years.) 



Olney. J. C. Allen : We know of no birds that successfully resist it. When it be- 

 comes numerous the bluebird, red-bird, robin, oriole, and chip bird all leave. (Sep- 

 tember, 1886. Present about twelve years.) 



PeTein. Postmaster : One or two pairs of robins, catbirds, and brown thrashers 

 still return and build nests in the court-house yard, but the mockingbird comes to our 

 city no more to nest. Since the Sparrow was brought here our singing birds have 

 decreased yearly. The Sparrows make their attacks in squads of three or more. (Oc- 

 tober 7, 1886. Present about sixteen years). 



Hock Island. W. H. Hatch : It sometimes drives martins from their boxes and 

 pigeons from their food ; it also drives away the robin. I have seen no resistance on 

 the part of any bird. (October 25, 1886.) 



Shawneetown (country). George Rearden : It has taken the houses from the mar- 

 tin almost altogether. The martin resists, but with little success. The barn swallow 

 and bluebird are also driven off. (October 2, 1886. Present about five years.) 



Troy. Robert Williamson : I have watched the house swallow, in breeding season, 

 drive Sparrows away from its nest. (October 2, 1886. Present about ten years.) 



Indiana. — Albion. Charles M. Clapp : A few years ago Mrs. A. S. Clapp had lots 

 of martins, and every spring now they come back to these boxes, but the Sparrows 

 drive them away. This spring not a martin could be seen near their old nests until 

 I shot the Sparrows off the boxes for a few days, and then the martins came back. 

 (October 14, 1886. Present five or six years.) 



Bloomington. Prof. B. W. Evermann : I have seen Sparrows molest or drive off 

 purple martins, house wrens, bluebirds, and a pair of great- crested flycatchers. (Au- 

 gust 25, 1886. Present about eleven years.) 



Burlington. W. A. Wright : The purple martin is the only bird that has come un- 

 der my observation as trying to reclaim former nesting sites. In the spring of 1879 a 

 pair of martins returning to their old home, a box in my yard, found it occupied by 

 the Sparrows. They flew away, but soon returned with re-enforcements and took pos- 

 session. I have noticed the Sparrow nesting in holes excavated by the hairy and 

 downy woodpeckers, but whether the latter were driven away or not I can not tell. 

 (September 21, 1886. Present sixteen years or more.) 



Camden. F. C. Groninger: In my lot I constructed quite a number of houses for 

 the bluebird and house wren. They occupied them and were driven away by the 

 multitude of Sparrows, but have since reclaimed their abodes through my protection. 

 I have noticed the wren fight the Sparrow when I was around, and have seen the 

 Sparrow fly from it. The Sparrow molests the purple martin, bluebird, wren, robin, 

 chipping-sparrow, and red- winged blackbird, but none are entirely expelled from 

 their former haunts. (August 20, 1886. Present about five years.) 



Crandall. G. W. Jenkins: The martin and Sparrow quarrel for nesting places, but 

 the one which first builds in the house continues to hold possession. (October 12, 1836. 

 Present one or two years.) 



Deljjhi (country). John Barnard: It has been known to drive away all kinds of 

 birds— martins, robins, grosbeaks, warblers, etc. The martin resists, but with no sue- 



