NATURAL HISTORY. 



467 



It was first noticed, according to this despatch, 

 that the sparrows were not so common as usual 

 on the streets, and it was then found that they 

 had gathered in enormous numbers in the parks, 

 where the locusts were most numerous. This is a 

 surprise, for it has not been generally thought 

 that these sparrows are insect-eating birls; but 

 the fat grub of the 17-year locust evidently suits 

 their taste, and the birds are reported as growing 

 plump on their new diet. — Boston ( Mass.) Herald. 



The above clipping suggests the idea that 

 perhaps the English sparrow "is not, after 

 all, so black as he is painted. 



M. H, Root, Minersville, Pa. 



The detested English sparrow has recent- 

 ly demonstrated that he can be of some use 

 after all. Last month the 17-year locusts 

 came in great numbers, and the sparrows 

 had a grand feast, evidently considering- the 

 insect pests a rare delicacy. The birds ate 

 the bodies and left the wings untouched. 

 In a few days the incessant hum of the lo- 

 custs became fainter and soon ceased alto- 

 gether , showing how thoroughly Passer 

 domesticus had done his work. It is gen- 

 erally believed he is not an insectivorous 

 bird, but if the locust tickles his palate why 

 should not other kinds of insects? If it can 

 be shown that these birds destroy different 

 forms of obnoxious insects, it might be 

 well to protect them ; but I hardly think 

 this one good trait could overbalance their 

 many bad ones, especially that of persecut- 

 ing other birds. 



Harry P. Hays, Hollidaysburg, Pa. 



ANSWER. 



Regarding this matter, A. K. Fisher, of 

 the U. S. Biological Survey, Washington, 

 D. C, says : 



The English sparrow, together with a 

 large proportion of our native birds, fed 

 extensively on the 17-year locusts which re- 

 cently swarmed in this vicinity. As this 

 insect is of little economic importance the 

 work of the sparrow can not be considered 

 of great value. 



A LIVE SPARROW TRAP. 



I notice Maude Meredith's appeal to the 

 boys to take arms against the English spar- 

 rows and by good shooting end them. 



It would be a smart boy who could beat 

 the record of a sparrow killer once in my 

 possession. This pest exterminator was a 

 common screech owl, caught in Cook 

 county, Texas. I made him a wire cage, 

 with a dark box in which to spend the 

 daytime. He soon became as gentle as 

 any pet could be. It was amusing to hear 

 his queer little screeches when he was 

 waiting to take food from my hands. I 

 fed him raw beef and sometimes rabbit 

 flesh. He became so tame I gave him his 

 liberty. Every evening just before dusk he 

 would perch on a dead limb in the yard, 

 and woe unto the rat or mouse that came 

 in sight. 



Later I moved to Davis, Indian Terri- 

 tory, and occupied a house with a long gal- 

 lery in front. Between the ceiling and the 

 roof of that gallery lived countless spar- 

 rows. One day I caught one and gave it to 

 the owl, who fairly tore it from my hands 

 in his eagerness to devour it. 



Soon after I let him out of his cage that 

 evening I heard a great commotion among 

 the sparrows. The owl had raided a nest, 

 and I found him with a young bird in each 

 claw and another in his beak. After that 

 I seldom fed him. Nevertheless, he fared 

 royally, catching 2 and sometimes 3 spar- 

 rows for a meal, for he was a voracious 

 little rascal. When he had devoured the 

 pests on my place he foraged aT over town. 



I taught him many little tricks, such as 

 playing dead, catching food tossed to him, 

 etc. His favorite trick was, when I would 

 allow it, to crawl into my coat pockets in 

 search of food. Altogether he was an in- 

 teresting as well as a useful pet, and if 

 opportunity offers I shall get another. They 

 are easily tamed, are cleanly, and as mouse 

 and rat catchers are better than any cat. 

 Dan Bosley, Wapanucka, Ind. Ter. 



RAISING BLACK DUCKS FOR DECOYS- 



On a recent trip to Roanoke Is { and I 

 met Mr. Spencer Daniels, of Wauchese, N. 

 C, who has probably raised more Canada 

 geese, black ducks and mallards for decoys 

 than any other man in Dare county. 



At the time of my visit he had about 50 

 geese and nearly as many ducks. Like 

 everyone else, he got his original start from 

 cripples ; but the last 15 or 20 years has 

 been breeding from raised birds exclusive- 

 ly. His experience with geese is practically 

 the same as that outlined in my article in 

 November Recreation. 



In raising ducks, however, he maintains 

 that it is absolutely necessary they should 

 have fish in plenty ; arid until well feath- 

 ered should be kept from water, unless 

 accompanied by their parents.. He usually 

 takes the eggs from the mother bird and 

 hatches them under a hen. After the young 

 ducks are hatched, he feeds and tends 

 them himself. 



If allowed access to the water while 

 young, ducks are liable to get wet through 

 and drown. They should also be kept out 

 of heavy rain storms. Of 30 ducks 

 hatched last spring, 27 were living at the 

 time of my visit, 3 having been killed by 

 rats. These were mallard and black duck. 

 It is not necessary that they be fed small 

 fish. Mr. Daniels threw several large fish in 

 the pen while I was there and the young 

 ducks fed on the flies which soon settled on 

 the fish in swarms. He said that when the 

 fish decayed, the ducks would eat the mag- 

 gots, which, together with wet meal, were 

 their best food. 



