Connecticut. June, 1893, 
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English Sparrow ( Passer domestecus) Feeding on the Larva of the 
Elm Tree Beetle. — Here in West Haven we have a great many elm 
trees, which, if not sprayed, are badly infested with the elm tree beetle, 
the larvae of which eat holes in the leaves causing them to turn yellow and 
fall to the ground. In July and August the larvae having matured descend 
to the trunk of the tree where they crawl under the loose bark and form 
pupae. For the last three years I have noticed English Sparrows working 
on the trunks of badly infested trees, but this year they were especially 
active, I having observed from one to four working on the trunk of a tree 
at a time. They would creep around the tree in Nuthatch fashion up as 
high as the first limbs for the descending larvae. I stopped to watch a 
pair of sparrows working on a tree to be sure that they were feeding 
on the larvae, I was only five feet away so I could positively see that they 
were taking the larvae and as they flew away with their beaks full they 
evidently were feeding young. As I have never observed them taking 
the pupae or imagoes so I could not say whether or not they take them, 
although I have seen them working on the ground at the bottom of the 
tree amongst the pupae which became dislodged and fell to the ground. I 
believe the English Sparrow is becoming more insectivorous each year, as 
I have on several occasions observed them catching small moths on the 
wing, also breaking May beetles by pounding them on the sidewalk. Still, 
I believe the English Sparrow is decreasing in West Haven owing to the 
fact that the Starling, which is abundant at all times and occupies all avail- 
able cavities, has forced the Sparrow to resort to the backs of blinds, where 
the nests are thrown out as soon as discovered. So, under the prevailing 
conditions I do not think that two pairs out of ten successfully rear a brood 
in a season. But nevertheless, let us hope that the English Sparrow will 
continue to be insectivorous, especially in July and August when the larvae 
of the Elm tree beetle are at their height. — • Nelson E. Wilmot, New 
Street, West Haven, Conn. 
