424 THE HOUSE SPARROW. 



In the fall of 1850, Mr. Nicolas Pike, of Brooklyn, N. Y., brought 

 over from Europe eight pairs of this bird and turned them loose the 

 following spring. For some unaccountable reason, unless it be that 

 they were the recipients of too much kindness, they did not thrive, 

 and in 1852 a second and more successful effort was made. In 1851 

 and 1858 it was introduced at Portland, Me., and at Peacedale, R. I., 

 and a few birds escaped at Boston. 



During the next ten years it was imported direct from Europe to 

 eight other cities, and in one case 1,000 birds were sent to Philadelphia 

 in a single lot. By 1870 it had become established as far south as 

 Columbia, S. C, Louisville, Ky., and Galveston, Tex.; as far west as 

 St. Louis, Mo., and Davenport, Iowa, and so far north as Montreal, 

 Canada, thus gaining a residence in 20 States, the District of Colum- 

 bia, and 2 provinces of Canada, and the end of its migration Avas not 

 yet. Between 1870 and 1880 it had extended its habitat over 15,000 

 square miles, and in 1873 Salt Lake City and San Francisco had been 

 reached l)y this rapid colonizer. Even this extended area did not 

 satisfy its migratory instincts, for during the next five years it estab- 

 lished itself in more than 500,000 square miles of territory, and by 188G 

 35 States and 5 Territories, practically all of the country east of the 

 Mississippi (except parts of 3 Southern States), as well as 8 Western 

 States, had been invaded and occupied. Its range of habitation now 

 covered, including nearly 150,000 square miles in Canada, over 

 1,000,000 square miles, and by 1898 only 3 States (AVyoming, Nevada, 

 and Montana) and 3 Territories (New Mexico, Arizona, and Alaska) 

 were free. It is presumed that by this time it has reached even those, 

 districts, and its occupancy of the entire United States is complete. 



Besides the United States, New Zealand and Australia have been 

 much damages by the " English " sparrow, it being regarded in 

 certain Australian colonies as a nuisance almost equal to the rabbit. 

 Although introduced by an acclimatization society on the North 

 Island of New Zealand in 180G, it threatened, sixteen years later, 

 to spread over the whole island, since it appeared in the most inac- 

 cessible places, contrary to its usual preference for cities and towns. 

 This was no doubt due to overcrowding, the result of its rapid 

 propagation. Having been carried to Victoria in 1865, it was not 

 long before it discovered and occupied Queensland, New South 

 Wales, South Australia, and Tasmania, although thus far it has 

 been excluded from AVestci-ii Australia by vigorous legal measures 

 prohibiting its introduction. It will no doubt reach there in due 

 time on its own transportation. It has already migrated to many 

 other parts of the world and may be regarded as a veritaljle little 

 cosmopolite. It is also present on Mauritius, in the Indian Ocean, 

 and liaving reached Honolulu twenty years ago, it is fair to assume 

 that if it has not already " ])rospectcd " our possessions in the Philip- 



