l86 CONNECTICUT GEOL. AND NAT. HIST. SURVEY. [Bull. 



Goldfinch in an orchard near here. The bird was in full song, 

 and did not bear any evidence of having been in captivity, as it 

 was not particularly tame; the plumage was perfect, even to the 

 tips of the tail feathers, and the legs and feet were those of a 

 wild bird. It seems to me probable that it was a straggler from 

 some of the localities where they have been introduced and have 

 become naturalized, as I have never seen any near here before." 



This is the only published record of this species in this state. 



This specimen is now in the Peabody Museum. It was prob- 

 ably a wanderer from a small colony in Central Park, New 

 York City. 



Passer domesticus (Linnaeus). English Sparrow. 



" Introduced into Boston by the city government in 1868 'V 

 by 1877 the English Sparrow was " an abundant resident in all 

 the larger and most of the smaller towns throughout the state 

 (Connecticut). 2 



An abundant resident of the cities, villages, and farms, having 

 driven Martins and Bluebirds and Eave Swallows from their nest- 

 ing sites, as well as routing out other species by its warlike habits. 



Nest. Breeds in any hole it can find, in martin-boxes, in holes 

 in trees, or in buildings. Wanting these, it will occupy a Cliff Swal- 

 low's or Eave Swallow's nest, or build rough nests behind window 

 blinds, in ivy on buildings, or in trees. Occasionally it adopts the 

 habit of woodpeckers, chipping out a hole for itself in a tree after 

 it has been started by a woodpecker (e. g., March 21, 1910, 

 L. B. B.). 



Eggs. 4-6; early in April, and successively throughout the 

 summer. 



Nesting dates. Earliest record. March 28, 1898, five eggs 

 (J. C. A. M.). Latest record. July 6, 1891, five eggs (J. C. 

 A.M.). 



A set of five white eggs was taken, May 22, 1889, New Haven, 

 by C. F. Hedges, where another set had been found in the previ- 

 ous year. 



Partial albinos are quite common, especially among young 

 birds. 



1 Baird, Brewer & Ridgway, Birds of North America, i, p. 526. 



2 Merriam, Birds of Connecticut, p. 40. 



