NATURE NOTES. 
184 
business part of the city. It is very evident that the sparrows have not run the 
martins out, although they are direct competitors for the same nesting places. 
Years ago the chippee always made its nests in my yard, but has not done so 
for six years, except in one case, and that nest was abandoned without being com- 
pleted. I do not know the reason ; I imagine the English sparrow domineers 
over the little chipping sparrow, but still the latter quit nesting in my yard before 
the former commenced. 
I put up boxes which were formerly occupied by blue-birds. As soon as the 
sparrows nested in my yard they took possession of these boxes ; and when the 
blue-birds came they did not have the grit or strength to turn the intruders out, 
and they went elsewhere to nest. After nesting time they are seldom seen in the 
city during the summer. Very clearly the sparrows have driven the blue birds 
out of this part of the city and possibly the chippees ; but if they have affected 
any other kinds, my observation has not been keen enough to detect it, though I 
have had my attention directed to it for years. 
Mr. W. A. Oswald, in the Canadian Record of Science for July, 
is a pronounced antagonist. He will have none of the sparrow, 
who was brought to Canada about twenty years ago, and care- 
fully protected and fed. The countryman who warmed the 
snake seems to have been a mild prototype of the country which 
welcomed the sparrow. It increases rapidly, is hardy, and 
“ seems to be able to endure the cold winters of Canada as 
it does the tropical heat of Australia, and it is rapidly becoming 
a troublesome pest in both of these widely separated countries.” 
Mr. Oswald sums up his indictment thus : — 
It has often been stated in favour of the sparrow that they destroy caterpillars, 
worms and the smaller insects that are injurious to trees and vegetables ; but from 
frequent observations and dissections by experts, it has been proved that while 
they are young they are fed partly on insects, but as they reach maturity their 
food consists almost wholly of grain — while it is a known fact that the food of 
blue-birds, white-bellied swallows, and the cliff swallows, consists entirely of 
caterpillars, worms, butterflies, moths, and small insects. Yet these are the first 
birds to be attacked and driven away from their nesting places by the English 
sparrow. . . . 
At one time dozens, and sometimes scores, of cliff swallows’ nests might be 
seen attached under the eaves of farm buildings, almost all joined together as it 
were ; yet these birds lived in perfect harmony with each other, .sallying back and 
forth from their nests, gliding over the fields in search of food, catching butterflies, 
moths, and other insects ; but since the English sparrow has made its appearance, 
they have taken complete possession of their nests. Not content with one, they 
enter into severe conflicts with adjoining swallows, breaking down their nests, 
and finally driving away a whole colony of swallows ; and the farmer sees to 
his sorrow, instead of a colony of swallows living happily together with their 
agreeable and melodious notes, the noisy, quarrelsome sparrows with their cease- 
less, discordant, unmusical notes, making thieving excursions to his fields or barn 
to feast on his grain ; but he never observes it attempt to make a repast on 
insects. There are many others of our native birds which are valuable insect- 
eaters that are being driven away by the English sparrow. 
We shoot all we see around the premises, but it is expensive, as there are 
abvays new arrivals, especially in the spring and summer time, during the nesting 
season. 
As long as they are allowed to breed unmolested in villages, towns and cities, 
they will stock and pest the surrounding country, no matter how diligently the 
farmer may shoot them. 
Their extermination ought to be encouraged by premiums being paid for their 
destruction : and in places where multitudes are congregated together, large 
numbers of them might be destroyed by shooting, poisoning, or trapping. Laws 
affording protection to the English sparrow should be repealed, and instead. 
