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At the meeting on April 21st, 1885, at Washington, of the Council of the 
American Ornithologists’ Union, the Committee rendered its final report of 
considerations as to the serviceableness or otherwise of the English Sparrow, 
these being based on information received in reply to their circulars of 
enquiries sent to localities of tho entire United States and Canada.* 
The report, which contains a great amount of solid information, is too 
long for insertion here ; but relatively to the points now under consideration, 
the united “ verdict of the ornithologists,” formally given, is “ that there is an 
overwhelming mass of testimony to the effect that the Sparrow drives away 
certain of our most valued species of native birds ” ; and in reply to the 
question on the circular, “ Is it an insect-eater or a seed-eater?” that every 
reply to this question, based on dissection, agrees in attributing to this bird a 
diet almost wholly vegetable. 
Lists and Observations of Birds which destroy Crop and Orchard Insects 
in England, and notes of the lessening of the number of wholly 
insectivorous Birds by Sparrow attach. 
In our country we have much trustworthy observation of damage from 
Sparrows driving away the truly insectivorous birds, notably Swallows and 
Martins. From my own personal observations, I can speak of Martins, 
which built plentifully under eaves, being driven off, so that nesting ceased 
consequently on increased Sparrow presence ; and the following notes, as 
far as initials on page 6, are from observations sent to myself (E. A. 0.). 
In 1887, I received an observation f from Mr. Champion Russell, of 
Baldwins, and Stubbers, near Romford, Essex, of presence of Sparrows in 
droves or thousands at the first named place, where they had not been kept 
in check, but not of Martins ; whilst at Stubbers, about a mile off, where 
Col. Champion Russell (see p. 3) had kept the Sparrows in check for many 
years, there was presence of Martins in hundreds. 
At another locality—the Moat House, Leake, near Boston, Lines.—where 
the insects were “ a serious pest,” the occupant took my advice, and pretty 
well destroyed the Sparrows ; consequently Swallows and Martins re-estab¬ 
lished themselves, and the pest of insects ceased to be destructive in garden 
and orchard. Mr. Christy, of Boyton Hall, Chelmsford, reported to the 
same effect, that as soon as the Swallows and Martins had built their 
nests the Sparrows drove them off, and laid their own eggs in the harried 
nests, and “ as a consequence we swarm with all kinds of noxious gnats and 
flies.” 
In reply to an enquiry I wrote to Mr. J. H. Gurney, of Keswick Hall, 
near Norwich, as a skilled ornithologist, he mentioned “that he could testify 
from personal observation that the Sparrows drive away the Martins, and 
that he considered the undoubted decrease of this species in the British Isles 
to be due to their being prevented from nesting by the Sparrows.” 
In regard to what bird-help we may look to for ridding us of insect 
enemies in the absence of the Sparrow, the question may be satisfactorily 
answered by reference to our various excellent standard works on British 
Birds ; but for practical purposes the following notes, for which I was indebted 
to Mr. F. Norgate, of Sparham, near Norwich (who has devoted particular 
attention to the subject), give some useful points. 
Amongst various kinds of birds serviceable generally on forest trees, 
apple trees, and fruit bushes, Mr. Norgate mentions the Titmice, including 
the Blue, Cole, Marsh, Long-tailed and Great Tit (and of these the Blue 
Tit may be especially observed at work amongst Aphides on goose¬ 
berry bushes); also the Warblers, Woodpeckers, Nuthatch, and Tree- 
* For Report given in full, see ‘ Forest and Stream ’ for Aug. 6th, 1885 
(‘ Forest and Stream ’ Publishing Co., 39, Park Row, New York, U.S.A.) 
f For this and the three following observations, see the ‘ Twelfth Annual 
Report on Injurious Insects,’ pp. 99, 100. Simpkin, Marshall & Co., Stationers’ 
Hall Court, London, E.C. Price Is. 6d. 
