Project Gutenberg's Harper's Young People, February 3, 1880, by Various

This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or
re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.net

Title: Harper's Young People, February 3, 1880
An Illustrated Weekly

Author: Various

Release Date: March 16, 2009 [EBook #28344]

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HARPER'S YOUNG PEOPLE, FEB 3, 1880 ***

Produced by Annie McGuire

[Illustration: HARPER'S

YOUNG PEOPLE

AN ILLUSTRATED WEEKLY.]

* * * * *

VOL. I.--NO. 14. PUBLISHED BY HARPER & BROTHERS, NEW YORK. PRICE FOUR
CENTS.

Tuesday, February 3, 1880. Copyright, 1880, by HARPER & BROTHERS. $1.50
per Year, in Advance.

* * * * *

[Illustration: FEEDING THE SPARROWS.]

THE HOUSE-SPARROW.

The English house-sparrow, a pert, daring little bird, which is seen in
crowds in almost all cities of the Northern United States, was first
brought to this country about twenty years ago. It is said the first
specimens were liberated in Portland, Maine, where they immediately made
themselves at home, and began nest-building and worm-catching as eagerly
as when in their native air. Others were soon brought to New York city,
and set free in the parks. At that time New York, Brooklyn, and other
cities were suffering from a terrible visitor, the loathsome
measuring-worm, which made its appearance just as the trees had become
lovely with fresh spring green. It infested the streets in armies, hung
in horrible webs and festoons from the branches of the shade trees, and
ruined the beauty and comfort of the city during the pleasantest season
of the whole year. About the first of July, when the worm finished its
work, the trees appeared stripped and bare, as if scathed by fire, and a
second budding resulted only in scanty foliage late in the season. A
month after the worm disappeared, its moth--a small white creature,
pretty enough except for its connections--fluttered by thousands
through the city, depositing its eggs for the worm of another year.
Desperate measures seemed necessary to stop this nuisance, and the
question of cutting down all the trees was seriously considered. But
relief was