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Show THE ENGLISH SPARROW. In many cities beside Salt Lake, the ; English sparrow is beginning to be looked I upon as a nuisance that ought to be abated. It is only a few years since these alien birds were first imported here, and .1 ' under the protection of an ordinance j ' which provides a penalty for their de struction, their numbers have baen aug-mented aug-mented to such an extent as to make it necessary to put a stop to any further in- ; crease, unless we want sparrows alone to rule the roo3t, to the exclusion of native birds of sonj and much prettier plumage, whom the pugnacious English produc-: produc-: tion has well-nigh driven from the land. The New York Legislature has .just passed a bill which protects almost every bird of song that can be thought of, and the only exception made is in the case of i the sparrow, for who3e benefit the follow ing words are inserted in the bill: "Nothing in this act shall prevent the killing of the English sparrow at any i season of the year." This is pretty good I ; evidence that New Yorkers, as well as Salt Lakers, have had all the acquaint-v acquaint-v ance with the English sparrow that they desire to have. But how can the nuisance be abated? : Mr. John Burroughs, one of the best- known of American naturalists, and i whose love for every decent member of the bird family is well known, in answer to inquiries recently made, of him as to the best course to pursue in ridding localities local-ities of sparrows, writes an follows: I find that people all over the country are waking up to the fact that the sparrows are n nuisance and must be put down. When they ask me what is to be done. I reDlv: ! Kill em, and make 'em into pot-pies." Four and twenty sparrows baked in a pie .:. make an exoellent dish, for I have tried it. I kill all the sparrows I can shoot them with line shot and they are becoming very shy about my premises. 1 In the city I should advise you to forego I the pot-pie and poison them; soak oatmeal 1 or bread crumbs in a solution of arsenic or I strychnia, and sprinkle it in your yards, or I on your housetops, or in the middle of the IBtreets. This method would soon fix them. ; In sheer self-defence the people of towns and cities will have to do something of the kind before long. Very respectfully, John Bubeoughs. |