ENGLISH SPARKUW. V>5 
on a small species of wild bee (Halicius sp.). Ants are quite fre- 
quently eaten. English sparrows, feeding on the ground, have often 
been seen to spring into the air and catch a flying ant. Lasius or 
Tetramorium. They also feed on Monamorium pharaonis. 
The beetle element of their food is of varied importance. They prey 
on the harmless dung-beetles (Aphodius) that are selected by native 
sparrows and many other species of birds. They also eat May-beetles 
(Lachnosterna) — for the most part too hard-shelled for many of the 
native sparrows — which are very injurious to crops, but which should 
probably be counted as neutral in this case, since most of those eaten 
have been maimed or killed by arc lights along city streets. The 
destruction of weevils is productive of more benefit. These insects 
abound in city parks from which the English sparrows obtain much 
of their food, and where they destroy many of the pests, especially 
while feeding nestlings. The forms eaten include Boris, Cenirinus, 
Phytonomus punetatus, Spherwphorus parvvlus, and various species 
of Sitones. Unimportant leaf-beetles, such as Colaspis brunnea and 
Chcetocnema denUcidata, are eaten, but the more injurious kinds are 
not touched. 
Hemiptera. both Heteroptera (soldier bugs of the genera Euschistus 
and Podisus) and Homoptera (leap-hoppers, plant-lice, scale insects, 
and cicadas), as well as Diptera (Muscida and Tiptdidce), are sometimes 
included in the sparrow's diet. Dr. L. O. Howard has found the bird 
feeding on the maple scale (Pulvinaria innurnerabiUs). 1 Mr. E. H. 
Forbush has observed it eating the eggs of the white birch plant-louse 
(1,478 eisg^ were found in one stomach), and also those of the larch 
plant-louse ( Chermes). 2 
As regards the destruction of weeds, English sparrows would be far 
more effective in rural districts if they flew out into the fields to feed; 
but instead of this they limit their weed-seed eating largely to the 
barnyard and the immediate vicinity of buildings. Thus, during 
November, 1899, 50 English sparrows were seen eating seeds from a 
wagonful of ragweed which had been driven up to a barn. These 
same birds would not have flown into the field where the ragweed 
grew, because they preferred to stay near the barn and steal grain; 
but when a quantity of such food was brought to them they did not 
refuse it. 
A- has already been shown (see p. 26), English sparrows do effective 
work in destroying seeds of weeds in the public parks of cities and 
towns. This food does not differ materially in character from that of 
the native sparrows, consisting of such kinds as pigeon-grass (Chceto- 
doa glauca and C. I'iridis), yard-grass, Bermuda or wire-grass, lainb's- 
quarters. crab-grass, sweet clover (MeJiJotus alba), knotweed, field 
mustard, black bindweed, smartweed. climbing false buckwheat, dan- 
delion, sunflower (Helta nth us annuus), and ragweed. 
• Bull. 22, Div. Entomology, New Series, p. 12, 1900. 
-.Mass. Crop Report Bull. 3, p. 31, July, 1900. 
