■0 
I’SEFUL IMRDS 
THE ENGLISH SPARROW PEST. 
It is now claimed l)y some scientists, perhaps with reason, that 
the Engdish or European s])arrow is, in part, responsil)le for the 
spread of the foot-and-mouth disease. Naturally, the dislike for 
the sparrow increases at this report, h'armers are urged to do all 
they can to eliminate this pest as far as possible. W e have ex- 
])erienced some success in the use of a siparrow trap, catching from 
1 1 to 25 in a half day. It must be noted, however, that this does 
not occur every day and, further, that the young* birds are most 
easily caught, lloth old and young evidently learn to avoid the 
trap. Another party who has used this trap also reports success 
even greater than ours. ( )ther parties report an average catch of 
ten bids a day for nearly four months. One can also, if on a farm, 
resort to shooting them singly or, better, when gathered together 
feeding. In fact, they may be baited with grain for a few days 
(preferablv in the fall or winter) and ])i*evious to the use of the 
shotgun. This accustoms them to gathering in a close Hock. Eggs 
and nests may be repeatedly destroyed, if placed within reach. A 
well-directed stream of water from a hose is helpful in making 
them desert their roosts, at least for a while. 
Dearborn ( Earmers’ Bulletin No. 493, 14 S. l)e])t. Agr.) de- 
scribes nest-box tra])s. Sparrows mav also l)e poisoned, but this 
calls for extreme care- 
It eats some insects, but its noisy chatter, hlthy habits, and 
pugnacious disposition make it un undesirable bird for any com- 
munity, and it is probably the most abundant bird over the United 
States, in countrv as well as in city. 
BIRDS OF DOUBTFUL UTILITY. 
Amongst (loul)tful birds, we place with reluctance our friend 
the Cat-bird. Although having a delightful song, ecpial or sur- 
])assing that of the Brown Thrush in our estimation, it nevertheless 
is not of valuable assistance to the gardener or farmer. It eats 
some insects, it is true, but in the latter ])art of June “these insects 
were largely replaced by cherries, currants, raspberries, and straw- 
berries. Idiree-fourths of the food of eleven Julv Cat-birds con- 
sisted of small fruits, mostly (94^) blackberries. Nine per cent 
of beetles had been taken, most of them being predaceous (bene- 
licial).” ( hh'om observations by Forbes of Illinois in ‘‘Birds in 
ddieir Relation to Man,” by WT'ed N Dearborn.) Nevertheless, on 
account of its song and friendliness and from the fact that it does 
