386 
SPARROW NOTES. 
Near the West reservoir, in Paterson, 
N. J., 2 men recently captured more than 
100 sparrows in 2 hours. Their method 
is to stretch a long net of gauze, so fine 
that the birds fail to see it, and fly into 
it in great numbers. The sparrows are 
sold to New York hotels and served up 
as reed birds.” 
The gauze is made by 2 Frenchmen in 
Paterson, whose names I have not been 
able to: learn. They are reaping good 
profits by selling the nets to bird catch- 
ers, of whom there are many. 

I should be glad to have the habits of . 
the English sparrow discussed by read- 
ers of RECREATION, through its columns. 
Our city authorities are trying to exter- 
minate them here, but have been strongly 
opposed by the society for the prevention 
of cruelty to animals, on the ground that 
the birds are a benefit to the city. 
H.W. By Boston Mass: 

In reply to L. Nixdorf, I will say that 
around Salt Lake the English sparrow 
is considered a pest. They multiply rap- 
idly, rearing 4 or 5 broods a year. 
are not insectivorous, and they drive away 
other birds. 
NSW AS Salt sleake: 

WILD PIGEONS. 
I saw many flocks of wild pigeons as 
late as April, 1808, in Jeffersoncounty. They 
were flying North, and in the latter part of 
April I saw a flock that must have con- 
tained 10,000 birds. Plenty of pigeons 
pass here every spring and fall, and a 
great many are hatched here. I have 
often seen them when the young could 
barely fly. They breed in Forest and War- 
ren counties, where large numbers are 
hatched every year. They lay from 2 to 4 
eggs, but mostly 2. The eggs are slightly 
speckled and have an extra hard shell. The 
eggs are a trifle larger than a robin’s egg. 
Charles Murphy,* Florence, Pa. 

Your letter received. The report that 
a flock of pigeons was roosting near here 
arose from the fact that large numbers of 
mourning doves were roosting together 
near the lake and some one said they were 
pigeons. The latter have not returned 
to this country since they left it several 
years ago. There are said to be nearly a 
thousand of these doves roosting about 2 
miles from here. 
W. H. Compton, Coldwater, Mich. 

I saw a few wild pigeons in pairs last 
fall and would have written you about 
them had I not feared that your other cor- 
They - 
RECREATION, 
respondents would cry “doves.” I have 
also caught black bass through the ice in 
winter; but never saw a gray, black, or fox 
squirrel that had been castrated by a red. 
F. Hibbard, Menominee, Mich. 

MAY BE JUGGED FOR KILLING A DOVE. 
In March Recreation C. C. Camp, of’ 
Portage, Wis., says he killed a mourning 
dove and in cleaning it found eggs, etc. 
He would better post himself on the game 
laws of Wisconsin before he gives himself 
away in that style. Someone may try to 
collect from him the $50 fine which the 
law imposes on those who “kill at any 
time, or for any purpose whatever,” mourn- 
ing doves or certain other birds which it 
names in Sec. 30, Chap. 188. 
I would like to ask Dr. Williams, of 
Vernon, B. C., if he ever saw a ruffed 
grouse in the act of drumming. If he has 
I wonder how he could come to the con- 
clusion he expresses. 
I have killed grouse in the act of drum- 
ming. They were standing on the tips 
of their toes, and striking their wings to- 
gether over their backs. I have seen them 
strut like a turkey gobbler, but do not 
remember hearing any noise when they 
were strutting. I would like to hear from 
others on this subject. It is 58 years since 
I killed a drumming grouse. 
Old Cap, Columbus, Wis. 

IN FAVOR OF THE RED SQUIRREL. 
Perhaps the red squirrel is guilty of all 
he is being charged with, but where there 
is the least doubt, the accused should have 
the benefit of it; and. for fear an inno- 
cent red might be unjustly condemned 
and executed, I wish to add my testmony 
in this interesting case. I was born in 
Southern Ohio, where gray squirrels were 
abundant, and in my boyhood killed hun- 
dreds of them. Many among those I ~ 
killed had been castrated. There is no 
doubt of that being a fact, but the point 
I wish to make is this: There was not a 
red squirrel in that part of the country, 
nor had there ever been one. It was the 
general belief among squirrel hunters that 
the old gray males did the work them- 
selves, when their families were quite 
young and before they had left their nests. 
In all castrated specimens I ever saw 
the wound had entirely healed, leaving but 
little scar. Therefore I think the red 
innocent of that crime at least. 
Karney, Carthage, Mo. 

We have no red squirrels here, but have 
many fox and gray squirrels. I have 
hunted them for more than 20 years and 
have yet to find a “mutilated” squirrel. I 

