t554 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



took rabbiting as an occupation got very expert at it, and it would be so in the case 

 of Sparrow-catchers. As to the rating, it would touch people in their pockets, and 

 make them take more interest in the matter. Three parts of the Sparrows were bred 

 in the eaves and under the roofs of houses, chapels, public buildings, etc. Some 

 houses had very small space between the ceiling and the roof, and Sparrows could 

 breed there unmolested ; but in premises with a greater space between roof and ceiling 

 men could go and capture the young birds. He had known his boys bring down 

 seventy young Sparrows from under bis roof in that way. Netting was an excellent 

 means. He had known one person at night catch one hundred and fifty Sparrows 

 with a net. They could be caught easily on orange and other low trees with a. net. 

 Men should not be permitted to go upon private premises without due notice either 

 day or night. Poisoned grain when good was effective, and here much might be 

 done, due care of course being taken to prevent injury to people's fowls. Some of 

 the poisoned grain was not good enough, but good grain should be procured by the 

 district councils. This Sparrow question was of the utmost importance to fruit- 

 growers and wine-makers, aud the Sparrows did a deal of mischief, especially in the 

 class of grapes grown for wine and raisins. 



Mr. G. F. Ind said there was no doubt that the action taken against the Sparrows 

 two years ago did a great deal towards abating the nuisance, but the discontinuance 

 had allowed them to breed as fast as ever. While the Government was paying for 

 the heads and eggs the destruction was considerable, but there was no inducement 

 now to interfere with the birds except on the part of fruit-growers and farmers. It 

 would be little use a man tilling the soil if the Sparrows were allowed to increase at 

 the rate they did. At the Sparrow club to which he belonged the members put their 

 money down and distributed poisoned wheat amongst those who would use it, but it 

 was found to be of no use when the Sparrows were allowed to breed unmolested upon 

 private and public property in the neighborhood. All must have an interest ia the 

 matter, aud that could only be secured by a rate on the land-taxation system. That 

 would raise enough to pay the expenses of exterminating the Sparrows; but until 

 something uniform was done it would be no use individuals spending money. The 

 people who were moving in this matter could not be accused of selfishness, for there 

 was not one who would not put his hand into his pocket aud pay his portion towards 

 it. The citizens themselves would find that they were interested more than they per- 

 haps imagined, because eventually they would have to pay dearer for their fruit, as 

 the growers could not afford to carry on their business at the loss occasioned by the 

 depredations of the Sparrows. He, as au exporter, had to pay pretty heavily, be- 

 cause he had to pay three people for the work that two could do but for the Spar- 

 rows. In the end the colony would be the loser, because viguerons and fruit-growers 

 would get disheartened and find it impossible to carry on business. 



Mr. S. P>raund said in the case of one of his farmer tenants in the country the Spar- 

 rows had been so troublesome that he (the speaker) gave him permission to destroy 

 a vineyard. He quite favored the idea of district councils taking the matter up, as 

 it must be a general scheme of destruction, and it should hi compulsory. No grain 

 or fruit could be grown in the country to pay until the Sparrows were driven out. In 

 one case 1,100 Sparrows had been taken from one place, and in another, down Brighton 

 way, 1,300 were taken from a chapel. He believed that with the compulsory system 

 and combined action the nuisance would be reduced to a minimum. He thought the 

 district council should pay for the eggs. 



Mr. C. Pitt added his testimony to the accumulation of Sparrows in the roofs of 

 houses, and said it would be of no use attempting to do anything to reduce the nui- 

 sance effectually without legislation and united action. 



Mr. Holmes, of Magill, said he had destroyed all the hedges around his premises, 

 and some of his neighbors had forest land where the Sparrows bred. They were driven 

 onto his place aud he felt that he could not grow grapes with any success while the 

 Sparrows were allowed to breed in the plantations. Any man acting by himself 



