156 American Birds 



almost turned a complete somersault before she regained 

 her equilibrium. 



The invasion of the Englisher In the bird world Is a 

 tremendous problem for our native songsters. It is no 

 negro problem of the South for them, for education Is out 

 of the question, and exportation Is impossible. This for- 

 eign sparrow may be all right In a narrow-streeted city 

 where other birds do not live, but he has no place In a 

 city with tree-lined streets and gardens and parks, for our 

 native songsters are superior In every way to the Imported 

 street gamin. 



The Englisher Is the greatest bird colonizer I know. 

 In the year of 1887 there was not a single one about the 

 city where I live. But In the spring of 1889 I found the 

 first pair had taken up a residence about an old Ivy-covered 

 house. They had likely come In during the winter over 

 the usual freight-car route. It Is well known that the 

 spread of these birds Is often due to the railroads, for this 

 medium will populate any community. In cities where 

 these pests thrive they are generally found about depots 

 and warehouses, and in winter the sparrow asks for no 

 better home than an empty freight-car, especially if the 

 floor Is covered with loose grain. When the doors of the 

 freight-cars are locked, the sparrows are shut In and car- 

 ried off, tramplike, to other places. By this civilized 

 mode of travel this bird has been carried from point to 

 point, and It Is readily at home wherever It lands. 



I have watched the population of our city grow, until 

 now there is hardly a street that isn't overcrowded from 

 the river to the hills. The sparrows have long since spread 

 into the surrounding towns, and some day I suppose they 



