670 ENGLISH SPARROWS. 
nation be wreaked upon the innocent intruder. This would cause 
the former source of trouble to be forgotten for the time being; a 
feeling of love and good will to prevail, and. the united strength 
of several to be centred upon an apparently common foe. 
A supposed case of this kind would seem to admit of no other 
explanation. Here would be the starting-point for that enmity 
which I know to exist between this species and our smaller birds 
in certain localities. As years roll on it will gradually strengthen 
and increase. Just such facts as this supposed case calls for, in 
order to lead to a satisfactory conclusion, fell under my imme- 
diate observation during the early days of last spring. 
Our smaller birds were just as abundant then, as in former 
years, and, as far as I was able to determine, the circumstances by 
which they were environed were materially the same. In places 
not as yet overrun by the house sparrows, apparently circum- 
stanced similarly, our native species build as freely as ever. 
But there are spots not a few in number, where year after year I 
have wended in my ornithological pilgrimages, and returned with 
a rich harvest ; but latterly, they have been deserted, and the fa- 
miliar forms and voices I once loved to greet have gone, and 
strangers now occupy their loved retreats. 
I have known instances where our smaller birds have commenced 
nest-building, and on the appearance of the sparrows have beet 
compelled to beat a precipitate retreat. 
` What I have thus detailed at length, has been the experience of 
others. Mr. Abel Willis of Germantown informs me that the 
robins and sparrows were frequent visitors upon his father’s prem- 
ises in early spring, and were wont to build upon the bushes and 
trees that occupy the lawn, for several years in succession. This 
last year they came as usual, but the house sparrows had pren 
pied all the available places. Displeased with such presumption, 
they were not disposed to yield quietly, but set about to expel the 
intruders ; and in the encounter, being outnumbered, were obliged 
to emigrate to other quarters. 
Repeatedly they renewed their endeavors, but were as often 
defeated. per 
In the cavity of an old apple tree in Mr. Willis’s yard, a pa't 
of the imported sparrows built a nest early in April last, = 
which ‘time they have successfully reared three broods of " ” 
and were engaged in preparing for a fourth, when the stump 
