254 BRITAIN^S BIRDS AND THEIR NESTS. 



for the whole great European - Asiatic land-mass and its 

 islands, from Ireland to Japan. In the ' frozen north '' 

 it is of course not found ; but in India, the Mediter- 

 ranean countries, and elsewhere, closely related races or 

 species are present. This is its natural range — extensive 

 enough ! But either from thoughtless sentimentality on 

 the part of emigrants from this country, or from a mis- 

 taken idea that this chiefly seed-eating bird would greatly 

 help to keep down the noxious insects, it has been 

 imported into North America, Australia, and New Zealand. 

 The mistake is now recognised, but it is too late for 

 anything short of a systematic war of extermination. 

 For the Sparrow has everywhere spread and increased 

 with extraordinary rapidity. Even at home it is notice- 

 able how well the species thrives in spite of a very 

 considerable amount of persecution. 



That it is a pest cannot be doubted. Chief among 

 its crimes is the eating of grain ; but to its account 

 must also be placed the bullying of other birds and 

 the appropriation of their nesting-sites. One redeeming 

 feature it has, for it shares with other Finches the habit 

 of feeding its young on insects. Therefore, to get the 

 greatest possible good out of the birds, nests should 

 not be destroyed till the young are nearly fledged. At 

 first sight this seems a rather cold and calculating 

 method of warfare ; but, given humane methods of 

 destroying the young, it seems free from any but purely 

 sentimental objections. By some the Sparrow is placed 

 in a category by itself as the ' only true British bird 

 pest ' ; but a few others, like the Hooded and Carrion- 

 Crows and the Wood-Pigeon, must also be considered 

 beyond the pale. 



Of the Sparrow"'s general habits, of its various 

 plumages, of the boldness of the city Sparrow, we need 



