THE HOUSE SPARROW. 425 



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

 J5(M-ninda. the Bahamas, and Cuba, and i)ossihly Porto Rico, althouiih 

 its presence there has not yet been reported. Its conduct in Bernuida 

 since it was sent there in 1874 has been just as objectionable as else- 

 where, so that, after at first punishin<i; with a prescribed fine anyone 

 who attempted its destruction, the lawmakers 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 $3,000 Avas expended in two years for this 

 purpose with no aj^preciable effect, so numerous had become the 

 progeny of this prolific i)rofligate. 



Although the house sparrow is now very generalh^ distributed over 

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

 bersburg) of that State about 1872, according to the observations of 

 Mr. Davids(m Greenawalt, and may have emigrated there from Ship- 

 pensburg, where one pair Avas carried from Philadelijhia about 18G8. 



It considers itself at home everywhere, apparentl}^, and evidenth^ 

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

 where any other bird has multiplied 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 indifferent to its character and habits. 



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

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

 longer ignored. The number of eggs in a set varies from four to 

 seven, and one pair of l)irds usually raises four, sometimes five, and 

 even six broods, 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 prefers 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 rapid propagation — it is further protected, by 

 this choice of habitation, against the 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 parasites) 

 which prevent its unlimited multiplication. This is not the case with 

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

 standing its numerous progeny. It adapts itself wonderfully to 

 diverse conditions, being able to endure the prolonged heat of trop- 

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

 Avinter. 



In view of the reputation and record of this bird wherever found, 

 and the repeated Avarnings giA^n to those AAdio Avere about to import 

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



