131 
Vol.XXIVl 
1907 J 
Estabrook, The English Sparrow Problem. 
the Experiment Stations in the United States, and to prominent 
•ornithologists in Canada. These answers practically all agree 
that the English Sparrow is an obnoxious bird to have, especially 
to our native bird population. Several letters state that we have 
no right morally, to kill the English Sparrow, or any other living 
creature. But it must be plain to anyone that we have as much 
right to kill a bird that is generally considered obnoxious, as we 
have to kill mice, rats, fleas, mosquitoes, bedbugs, and the like. 
This standpoint of false humanitarianism is derided in most 
emphatic terms in many of my letters. 
I will take up the questions in the order in which they appear 
in the enquiry, and will endeavor to give the main results secured 
by the questionnaire. 
1. Are you familiar with Bulletin No. 1, etc. This was inserted 
in the questionnaire to see if the bulletin referred to, had, to any 
great extent, been circulated through the country, and also to see 
if it had had any marked effect on the ideas of the people in regard 
to the sparrow. A good portion had seen the bulletin and most of 
those agreed with it perfectly. 
2. Is the English Sparrow present in your locality ? Increasing 
or decreasing? 
The data for the distribution of the sparrow I have secured 
from the Directors of the different Experiment Stations, and from 
the prominent ornithologists in Canada. The English Sparrow 
exists in enormous numbers in the whole region east of the Rocky 
Mountains; with the exception of Florida, where it is found in a 
few places, and in Texas, Oklahoma, and the northern part of 
Montana where it is reported absent. West of the Rockies, he 
is reported in Utah, Colorado, and in and about San Francisco, 
and Portland, Oregon. It is found throughout Canada, south 
of latitude 50°, and as far west as the Rockies. It does not seem 
to be either increasing or decreasing its numbers to any appreciable 
extent anywhere in this area. 
3. What is being done with you to exterminate them? Out- 
line methods. 
In a great many localities, much is being done towards exter- 
mination; nearly one half of those answering were doing something 
to hold them in check, but as these few are scattered throughout 
