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Waikato Times, Volume X, Issue 703, 16 December 1876, Page 2

Sparrows.— At the meeting of the Acclimatisation Society, held on Monday, the Chairman observed, with regard to tho alleged deßtr notion of grain by the sparrows, that at the last meeting of tho Council it was agreed that sparrows should be shot, for the purpose of ascertaining by post mortem examination whether they were really so mischievious as tbey were said to be. Tbe secretary then read a report of the result of the examination of the crops of nine sparrows that were shot for (he experiment. The oropa of three were filled with ci a ;ked maize and wheat ; one contained gras? seed, and tin others caterpillars and small insects. — Mr Burt submitted that as the birds were shot in tbe neighbourhood of the town, where cracked maize and wheat could easily be picked up, the test was not a fair one. It was easy for birds so near the town to fill themselves with grain, but not so easy in the country, where it was alleged tho destruction was great. — Mr Hughes suggested that all sparrows required for the experiment should be shot in tho country and nowhere else. — Mr Swanson understood that this experiment was to be made for twelve month", so that they would have ample opportunity of ascertaining whether tbe birds were really so destructive as they were represented to be. — The Chairman observed that the arrangement was to be in force for a year. — Mr Palmer remarked that a great deal had been Said about the mischief done by the sparrows lately, but he firmly believed that they did far more good than harm. At his own place the chaffinches were much more destructive than the sparrows. The former destroyed the wheat and other grain, and the latter did not. He believed that if there were no sprrrows there would be no fruit. Upon the whole, the birds were a boon to the country. — The Chairman agreed with tb.9 previous speaker that the birds were comparatively harmless, and were not credited with the good they were doing. The old adage, " Give a dog a bad name and you may as well hang him " applied to the sparrows. — Mr Chamberlain observed that from some cause or other the sparrows were considered to be "black sheep" amongst all other birds at the present time, but they were nob so bal as they were spoken of.— A letter from Mr Smith, fruit gardener, asking permission to shoot birds that were in the habit of preying upon his fruit, was read. The Council decided that they did not possess power to grant him such permission.