SOCIETY OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS. 343 
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TUESDAY EVENING’ SESSION. 
Meeting convened as per adjournment, and the following paper 
was read by F. I. Mann, the writer being absent: 
THE ENGLISH SPARROW. 
BY A. L. CUMMINGS. 
It is apparent to every one that this distinguished visitor to 
American shores, whose coming was heralded by trumpets proclaim- 
ing him the great destroyer of insects, has now became the object of 
general distrust, if not of hatred. This is natural, perhaps, but is it 
just? The change is not in the sparrow, whose habits are unchanged 
except in matters necessary to his changed conditions and climate. 
The change is in those who, in gross ignorance of his habits of feed- 
ing and modes of life, imported a bird whose beak proclaims him 
above all else a seed-eater, to destroy insects which were defoliating 
and thus destroying the parks of our eastern cities. The experiment 
met with more success than its extravagance warranted, because the 
bird, new to its surroundings and unused to city life, finding none of 
the food appropriate for its use, was compelled to change its diet and 
eat insects tor the time being, rather than starve. Thus the tempo- 
rary success achieved led to high hopes for the future, which the 
future failed to realize. 
But, like all foreigners who arrive on our shores, the sparrow 
soon began to get his bearings and adapt himself to his new home. 
He soon found the farming regions outside the cities contained his 
true food, and colonies were established every where all over the 
country, where seeds and grain furnished the natural food of the 
bird as before. Then began a howl of bucolic rage from all those 
subject to its depredations, in which, latterly, men of science have 
joined, in a manner more mild, it is true, but not therefore the less 
dangerous. 
Extermination is threatened in village and hamlet, and farmers 
have ascertained that pot-pies of delicious fragrance and extreme 
toothsomeness can be made from their slaughter. But, in spite of 
all this, the English sparrow has taken out his naturalization papers 
and come to stay. What to do with him is the only question left us 
to solve. In the re-action that has taken place since his first intro- 
duction he can hardly expect exact justice any more than that other 
execrated foreigner, the “ Heathen Chinee,” of both of whom it may 
be said that they deserve more civil treatment at our hands. 
We even heard the sparrow accused of eating fruit buds and 
thus destroying the hope of harvest, but we presume this charge is 
abandoned, or, at least, is not being pressed, as we hear nothing of 
