500 Lneligibility of the European House Sparrow. (August, 
many persons, especially agriculturists whose fields and gardens 
are assailed. All of these same facts are admitted by competent 
ornithologists generally. None of them are publicly disputed, so 
far as I know, by any person or persons whose authority has any 
weight in a question of this kind. 
The friends of the sparrow in this country fall in the following 
categories: First, those who know nothing and care nothing 
particularly about them, except that they “rather like” the pert 
and brusque familiarity of the birds—a class composed chiefly of 
children, women and old fogies. Secondly, those who are or 
were instrumental in getting the birds here, and are interested, 
either in reputation or in pocket, to keep them here. Thirdly, 
quasi-ornithologists who have been misled into hasty expressions 
of opinion to which they feel bound to stick. Fourthly, the 
claquers of the last, who play a sort of “ Simon-says-up” game. 
Fifthly, a very few intelligent and scientific persons, but not prac- 
tical nor professional ornithologists, who recognize fully what 
little good the sparrow undeniably does, and shape a favorable 
argument mainly from the undisputed advantages which result 
from a certain just and proper number of sparrows 7 Europe. | 
Most of my antagonists in this matter—those that fall in the 
first four categories above named—are of course not worth serious — 
attention, for they either have no decided opinions of any sort, or else 
they are not open to instruction. But I have a particular word 
to say to those who draw an honest argument, not without some — 
show of reason, from the state of things in Europe. I grant, if 
they wish, everything they adduce, from Prévost (who by the way 
is a great tally-ho! for the members of the third category above 5 
to the last investigator of the contents of sparrows’ crops; and : 
I simply reply that the argument does not apply to the case of the ‘ 
sparrow in America. In Europe these birds are part and parcel n 
of the natural fauna of the country. They are not,as I under- 
stand, petted, pampered and sedulously protected from their natu- — 
ral enemies as they are here. They shift for themselves, find 
certain sources of food supply, have a fair share of natu 
enemies, and are kept within due bounds of multiplication e 
— play, and they play it; they have their natural checks, and their | 
_ increase is naturally checked. They are useful birds; and 
