THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



By Dr. J. O. Skinner. U. S. Army (Retired). 



Mr. Thompson, a Canadian, referring, abont twenty-two years ago, 

 to the unwise introduction into the United States of this intolerable 

 nuisance when its character and habits were so well known in Eng- 

 land, made the following statement: "What wonder that the Eng- 

 lish farmer stared in blank amazement when first he heard of it, or 

 that he failed to account for the action, except on the assumption 

 that America had been visited by a wave of temporary insanity." 

 We shall attempt to briefly give a few of the facts from which this 

 inference was doubtless drawn. 



The house sparrow {Passer domesticus) ^ coravLiowly caWQCi in Amer- 

 ica the " English " sparrow, has been known for ages as one of the 

 worst of feathered pests. The name " English " sparrow is mislead- 

 ing, since it would indicate that it originated in England which is 

 not really the case, for its history begins with that of man, and it is 

 referred to by Aristotle and many other European writers on natural 

 history who followed him ; in fact, there is reason for believing that 

 it was known to people of whom we have no written history. When 

 writing was invented the sparrow was selected for the hieroglyphic 

 symbolizing enemy, and proofs of its destructive habits have been 

 cited by certain authors showing that it has been the enemy of man- 

 kind for more than five thousand years. This prolific little poacher, 

 belonging to the granivorous family {FringilUdae), not only does 

 much damage to grain, fruit, and other products of the soil, and dis- 

 figures all buildings used by it for nesting purposes, but it is so pugi- 

 listic that it drives away many insectivorous birds which are of 

 great benefit to those engaged in agriculture or horticulture. More 

 than any other wild bird, it is attached to human dwelling"^ and is 

 not known to thrive anywhere far away from the habitations or 

 works of men, extending its range in new countries as settlements 

 are formed and lands are cultivated. 



It has already fully adapted itself to all continents and has been 



transported to some of the most distant islands in the Indian and 



Pacific oceans. 



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