394 
BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA . 
THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 
(Extracts from Bulletin No. 1, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Division of Economic Ornithology 
and Mammalogy. Prepared under the direction of Dr. C. Hart Merriam. Ornithologist, by Walter 
B. Barrows, Assistant Ornithologist. J 
Relation op the Sparrow to other Birds. 
This is one of the most important branches of the sparrow investigation, and it is 
believed that the evidence collected and published herewith is ample for the final 
settlement of this much vexed question. More than a thousand original contribu¬ 
tions to our knowledge of this subject have been received at the department, and all 
the available published testimony has also been consulted, and selections from this 
have been printed. No pains have been spared in collecting evidence on both sides 
of the question ; and when it became apparent that a large part of the testimony 
which was coming in was against the sparrow, a special eft'ort was made to induce 
friends of the bird to come forward with facts or theories to offset this damaging 
evidence. As a result, a mass of testimony has been brought together which it is 
believed far exceeds in amount and value anything ever before collected, and it is 
now submitted to the public with perfect confidence that no candid reader will ever 
again deny that the sparrow molests our native birds, and in many cases drives them 
away from our gardens and parks. No one should be content to read simply the 
brief summary presented at this place, but should turn directly to the evidence itself, 
and satisfy himself that the case is as here represented. 
The nature of the evidence is such that it is impossible to summarize it satisfac¬ 
torily, but the following brief synopsis of matter contributed directly to the depart¬ 
ment will show something of its extent: 
Total number of original reports submitted.1,048 
In the main favorable to the sparrow,. J 08 
In the main unfavorable to the sparrow. 837 
Indeterminate, ... 43 
This would indicate that about one-fifth of the evidence submitted is favorable to 
the sparrow; but if we exclude from the evidence all of those reports which consist 
simply of the answers yes or no to the questions asked on the printed circulars, the 
percentage of favorable replies will be still further decreased. 
Two hundred and eighty-one reports were received which gave little or no evi¬ 
dence on this subject further than these monosyllabic replies, while the seven hun¬ 
dred and sixty-seven remaining reports gave illustrations of the hostile or peaceful 
relations of the birds, or at least mentioned some species which were not molested. 
Of these seven hundred and sixty-seven reports only forty-two are entirely, or 
even mainly, favorable to the sparrow ; seven hundred and twenty-five of them con¬ 
taining evidence unquestionably against the sparrow, and most of it of the most 
damaging kind. 
This estimate, therefore, which seems to us much nearer the truth than the first 
shows that about one-eigliteenth of the reports received are favorable to the sparrow 
as regards its relation to other birds, butit should not be inferred by any means that 
therefore, even one-eighteenth of the evidence is favorable. 
About one witness in eighteen has testified for the sparrow, but each juror must 
decide for himself as to the weight to be given to each piece of evidence. For our 
own part, after careful consideration of each bit of testimony presented, we believe 
that the proportion of one hundred to one against the sparrow is the most favorable 
estimate which any unprejudiced person is likely to make. 
