EVIDENCE. — EFFECTS ON NATIVE BIRDS. 269 



the city in large Hocks and located themselves iu outhouses, barus, and about the 

 dwelling. They have driven away the American sparrows and finches, the titmouse, 

 wren, catbird, robin, and other birds. (October 5, 1886. Present five or six years.) 



Ghent. George R. Bowie: It drives away the bluebird and black martin. It takes 

 possession of their nesting places during winter and does not allow them to comeback. 

 (October 8, 1880. Present six or eight years.) 



Hartford. A. B. Baird : I have witnessed contests between the English Sparrow 

 and our native birds, in which the Sparrows confederated aud soon became the vic- 

 tors. In attempting to reclaim former nesting places the bluebird appears to hold its 

 own, but the catbird, which has frequent contests with the Sparrow, is obliged tore- 

 move. (October 5, 1886. Present about six years.) 



Lancaster. W. H. Wherritt : I do not know the cause, but several of our small birds, 

 among them the wren, common sparrow, and snowbird, have almost disappeared 

 since the Sparrow came. I think no bird except the martin ever comes in conflict 

 with the Sparrow. (October 11, 1886. Present eight or nine years.) 



Louisville. J. B. Nail: Before the introduction of rhe Sparrow the bluebird and 

 pewee were common on every farm ; now it is a rare thing to see one. The martin 

 is also molested. (September 8, 1886. Present about twelve years.) 



Louisiana. — Barataria (country). William B. Berthoud: The mockingbird resists 

 the encroachments of the Sparrow, and on rare occasions the tyrant flycatcher, or 

 kingbird, attacks it with partial success. Warblers and flycatchers are the birds 

 most commonly molested and driven away, but also the w r ren. (June 27, 1887. Pres- 

 ent about four years.) 



Maine. — Fairfield. James 0. Whittemore : I have known but one instance in which 

 any of our native birds attempted to drive off the Sparrow when not first attacked. A 

 pair of woodpeckers (yellow-shafted flicker) took possession of a hole formerly occupied 

 by these birds and successfully held it against a great number. I have known blue- 

 birds and tree swallows to be driven from holes by the Sparrows, and unable to make 

 resistance. I remember an instance of a Baltimore oriole dispersing a large number of 

 Sparrows, but the case of the flickers was the most positive one I have known. I 

 have never observed any actual molestation except the above, and do not think the 

 Sparrows are plenty enough in this locality to diminish the number of other birds. 

 (August 19, 1886. Present ten years.) 



Farmington. E.E.Richards: It has a habit of attacking nearly all birds coming 

 in its way, especially about nesting places or feeding ground. I think it is always 

 the aggressor, except perhaps in contests for martin houses and nesting places. (Au- 

 gust 20, 1886. Present about six years.) 



North Lkermore. George H. Berry: It molests and drives away the robin, blue- 

 bird, chipping sparrow, red-eyed vireo, and the smaller birds in general. The purple 

 martin and wdiite-bellied swallow attempt to reclaim former nesting sites. (August 

 23, 1886. Present about three years. ) 



Portland. Nathan Clifford Brown : I have seen it attack the downy woodpecker, 

 and molest the robin and Baltintore oriole. It drives away the white-bellied swal- 

 low by taking possession of its nests. (1884. Present ten years or more.) 



Massachusetts.— Amherst. Hubert L. Clark: I have noticed that the Baltimore 

 oriole (Icterus galbula) is almost the only bird which does not seem to be troubled by 

 the Sparrow. It is the only bird which is to be found breeding in our greets as 

 abundantly as five or six years ago. This may bo an exception, but I thought it 

 worthy of note. (September 8, 1887. Present about fifteen years.) 



Cambridge. William Brewster: Markedly and unmistakably and with appalling 

 rapidity our native birds are leaving. I do not often see the Sparrows actually at- 

 tack them, however. All species, with the exception of robins, blue-jays, and crow- 

 blackbirds, are affected, but house wrens, bluebirds, swallows, least pewees, and ori- 

 ples most noticeably. (January 30, 1834. Present eleven years or more.) 



Hohjolce. W. F. Lamb: It certainly molests and drives away such birds as the 



