THE SPARROW— FOR AND AGAINST. 
9 
on various trees which they used to roost and build in — so old, 
that I have before me now a block I cut from the bole of one of 
them six inches thick one way, and four the other. But never 
once have I known him interfere with one of those other birds, 
except in the case of a few martens’ nests, and that only some three 
times in ten times three years and more — nor even then were these 
driven away, they only built other nests. If the said process of 
elimination was going on in all time, how, I should much like to 
know, were the martens saved from extermination all those 
thousands of years ? I ask for a plain answer to this very plain 
question. And yet we are told martens being less in numbers than 
they used to be is all along of the sparrows ! Why, they have always 
varied in numbers, more or fewer, in all past years. We may 
just as well be told that it is by them that fieldfares and redwings 
have been banished. Scarce one small flock to be seen now in a 
long winter, whereas they used to be with us in tens upon tens of 
thousands every year without fail. 
Do not, however, take my word for it, though no one can state 
the contrary but in either gross or wilful ignorance. But what 
can be expected of anyone who believes in the farrago of fancy 
and fiction and forced facts of Messrs. Gurney, Coues & Co. ? 
Here is a very small portion of what I have at hand, referred 
to above. 
EVIDENCE OF THE REV. J. G. WOOD. 
We have had several discussions in this Committee lately on the subject of the 
sparrow, with regard to the amount of good and of harm that he does. Will you 
be kind enough to state to the Committee your opinion on that subject? — I have 
not done very much with the sparrow, but I have seen him in the very early- 
morning doing nothing but eating insects or larvae ; picking them out of the grass ; 
the daddy-longlegs especially, which is one of the most dangerous insects we have. 
Have instances come under your observation in which those persons who have 
protected birds, like the sparrow, have derived advantage from it? — Yes; the late 
Dr. Hatton and myself, who lived on opposite sides of the road, used to grow peas 
against each other. One year he had to replant his peas three times ; mine grew 
magnificently. Now, I had encouraged the birds, and he had driven them away. 
Is there any other instance, which has come under your notice, in which 
sparrows have done good service ? — Mr. Waterloo told me that was so, but it is 
not within my own observation. 
Do you remember the observations which Mr. Waterloo made to you ?— Yes. 
lie took me over his grounds the last time I was there, and showed me all his 
fruit ; they were in splendid condition ; he never allowed a bird to be killed ; he 
said that nature could preserve her own balance. 
Had he a large number of sparrows in his park ? — Every bird imaginable in 
.shoals ; they came there because they knew they were safe. 
Have you been led to form an opinion that the sparrow displaces other birds 
of greater value than itself? — It never struck me that they did. 
Do you think that as the sparrow increased around your house you would be 
likely to lose any of the soft-billed birds ? — N'o ; I think not. 
You expressed an opinion that the sparrows were not to your knowledge 
detrimental to other birds ? — I have not found them so practically. 
Have you many martens around you? — Thousands. 
They build on your house, I suppose ? — Yes. 
Have you not found the sparrows very anxious to turn them out of their nests 
to lay their own eggs there ? — They try it sometimes, but I have never known 
them to succeed. 
