306 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



[Forest and Stream, Vol. X, p. 196. April, 1878.] 



In regard to the Sparrow's destroying insects and larvae, I am surprised that any- 

 one claiming to be a student of ornithology should deny that the English House Spar- 

 row feeds on insects and caterpillars. Especially in the breeding season insects are 

 its principal food, and when it has young almost any caterpillar is greedily sought after, 

 except those thickly covered with hair. Spiders they are very fond of, and, during 

 the last few warm days, every nook and corner has been explored in search of them 

 around my two-story work shop. In a large Ailcuithus tree in my yard I have a number 

 of boxes, each having a tenant. I therefore have a large number constantly under 

 my observation. Many species of Lepidopiera formerly plentiful in Brooklyn have 

 very nearly disappeared, among these the one which feeds on the Ailantlius, and which 

 nearly destroyed the foliage of that fine shade tree, has been nearly exterminated 

 by the Sparrow. I believe the Sparrow to be a very useful little bird, and I should 

 be very sorry to see him destroyed. I am now speaking only of the city. If it should 

 become very abundant in the country it may do some damage to the grain crops, but 

 that is the only harm it will do. In regard to its driving away native birds from the 

 city, we never had auy remain in it, excepting a few chipping sparrows, martins, 

 and swallows, and these are all as plentiful now as ever. A chippy built its nest last 

 summer in my tree, within two feet of a Sparrow house. (John Akhurst.) 



[Forest and Stream, Vol. XII, page 424.] 



* * * I am no friend of the noisy, dirty pests they [the Sparrows] have become 

 in our city, but give my evidence in order to show that, probably from local habit, 

 they do eat insects here. We have a grasshopper, quite common during the summer, 

 frequenting open places in fields, roads, and streets, fully two inches in length, of a 

 dirty brown color, and when at rest unattractive-looking, but having the under wings 

 a rich black, bordered with a wide margin of bright yellow, very conspicuous when 

 flying. * * * This hopper has a habit of every once in awhile rising on wing three 

 or four feet from the ground and then remaining nearly at one place (precisely like a 

 hawk when hovering on the lookout for dinner) for a moment or more, making a 

 peeuliar cracking noise at the same time, and then alighting again near the place it 

 started from, where generally there is a female to be found, if searched for. They are 

 common in the heart of the city as well as country, and I have time and again, when 

 watching this "hovering," seen a Sparrow dart from a neighboring tree or house, 

 grab the hopper, sometimes missing it at first, but following it in its flight, and 

 finally catching it. 



We are very much troubled in our house with the small "croton bug," and also the 

 large black roach. Their increase is enormous in our climate, and it requires con- 

 stant war to keep them down. My kitchen opens on the back yard, without step. 

 Under my hydrant there is a bucket of water always standing with running w r ater 

 for the dogs. This bucket is the central bathing and watering place for the Sparrows 

 from, judging from their numbers, a very large circle around. Once a month or more 

 I am in the habit of thoroughly blowing a full quantity of the commercial insect 

 powder in all cracks and crevices of kitchen, basement, outhouses, etc., to catch the 

 young brood of roaches and rout out the new settlers. The croton bugs easily give 

 up, but the large black roach, w r ith his heavy mail, dies hard, and, though in the end 

 surely dies, will run for an hour after being well dosed before doing so. A great 

 many of these roaches run out the kitchen door into the yard, and the Sparrows see- 

 ing them at once go for them. There is always one or more around the bucket, and 

 the first roach is the signal for them to get together, and they clean out the last one, 

 even going into the kitchen after them. They grab one, fly to a neighboring shed 

 or wall, beat it to death, and either fly off with it or eat it on the spot. This is a 

 regular* occurrence whenever I rout out the roaches. * * * (Russell Robinson, 

 Richmond, Va., May 27, 1379.) 



