THE HOt'SE SPARROW. 425 



pine Islands, it will do so very soon. On the Atlantic side it is found in 

 Bermuda, the r)ahainasrand Cuba, and })()ssil)ly Porto Rico, althouij-h 

 its presence there has not vet been reported. Its conduct in Bernnida 

 since it was sent tlu>re in 1874 has been just as objecti()nal)le as else- 

 where, so that, after at first punishing with a prescribed fine anyone 

 who attempted its destruction, the lawmalvcrs themselves were obliged, 

 ten years later, to change their code by placing a legal premium on 

 its extermination. Although the area of the islands is less than 20 

 square miles, nearly $l'>,000 was expended in two years for this 

 purpose witli no a])i)r('ciabl(' ell'ect, so numerous had become the 

 progeny of this prolific })rofligate. 



Althougli the house sparrow is now very generally distributed over 

 Pennsylvania, it first appeared in the Cumljerland Valley (Cham- 

 bersl)urg) of that State about 18T'2, according to the observations of 

 Mr. Davidson (ireenawalt, and may have emigrated there from Ship- 

 pensburg, where one pair Avas carried from Philadel])hia al)out 1S()S. 



It considers itself at home everywhere, apparently, and evidently 

 comes to stay wherever found. There is no instance in ornithology 

 where any other bird has nnilti})lied so rapidly or covered such an 

 extensive area in so short a time. This is not altogether surprising 

 when it is remembered how much it has been assisted until recently, 

 by persons unfamiliar with or indifi'erent to its character and habits. 



Not only has it been transported intentionally from place to place, 

 but has been pampered mitil the mistake was made too manifest to be 

 longer ignored. 4'he number of eggs in a set varies from four to 

 seven, and one pair of birds usually raises four, sometimes five, and 

 even six l)ro()ds, according to some observers, in a year. It takes 

 very little computation to determine what the results of this extraor- 

 dinary fecundity would presumably be in a single decade. As it 

 always jn'efers cities, towns, or villages — in fact, does not go to the 

 country except at harvest times, until it is crowded out by overpopu- 

 lation following its ra})id jjropagation — ^it is further protected, by 

 this choice of habitation,^ against rhe dangers and hardships by 

 which the increase of many other birds is restricted. As a rule 

 excessive reproduction of a species in the animal kingdom, with its 

 consequent overcrowding, results in disease (epidemics or jiarasites) 

 which prevent its unlimited multiplication. 'J'his is not the case with 

 the house sparroAv ; it is one of the most vigorous of birds, notwith- 

 standing its numerous progem^ It adapts itself wonderfully to 

 diverse conditions. l)eing able to endure the ])rolonged heat of trop- 

 ical sununer as well as to survive the protracted cold of a Canadian 

 winter. 



In view of the reputation and ivcord of this bij-d Avherever found, 

 and the repeated warnings given to those who were about to im])ort 

 it, the continued interest in it and persistent elfort to secure and sue- 



