FOR WAGGONER’S BIOLOGY 
75 
c. Observations and records of food habits. 
d. Counts of the English sparrows as found on a single lot or in 
various typical locations. 
Reports upon the reading and observations may be made in 
occasional class conferences. 
2. To what native birds is the English sparrow related? Iden¬ 
tify as many of these in the field as possible. What are the general 
characteristics of the sparrows with respect to food and habitat? 
We do not often hear of objections to native sparrows. Why not? 
3. What factors have enabled the English sparrow to multiply 
so rapidly in this country? 
II. Sparrows are seed-eating birds. Many are useful because 
they devour large numbers of weed seeds. (See Waggoner, 
Page 462.) What troublesome weeds need to be held in check in 
this community? Bring specimens of the most common weeds 
which grow in your garden. Identify each. Do the same for the 
weeds of your lawn and of other typical regions. From your 
reading, determine which plants are native and which have been 
introduced from other localities. By what means have weeds 
been introduced into this counry? Which, in general, are the 
more troublesome, the native or the introduced weeds? 
III. The Domestic Cat. The domestic cat is an introduced 
animal. Find what you can of its history. What charges may be 
made against the cat? Why are such charges justified, at least to a 
certain extent? (See Waggoner, Page 464.) 
IV. Do we have any definite means of knowing what will be 
the result when a new plant or animal is added to or removed from 
any region? Wliat examples of such disturbances of the '' balance 
in nature” are cited in the text? (See Waggoner, Page 422.) 
What has been the result of introducing into North America the 
English sparrow, certain weeds, and the domestic cat? Give 
additional examples, if possible. 
