THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 231 



Rare and irregular winter visitant. 



The Pine Grosbeak is the largest of onr rare visitors from far 

 north, and, in south Jersey at least, the rarest. When it does visit 

 us it is usually in considerable flocks. The birds are rather stupid, 

 and are easily approached. 



The last general flight of Pine Grosbeaks was in the winter of 

 1903-4, but while common in the northern counties, where it arrived 

 October 15th (Englewood, Chapman), it was not noted in the south- 

 ern half of the State.^ 



It was abundant at Weehawken,- October, 1836, to March, 1837. 



^Ir. H. Trippitt^ records some at IMontclair in autumn, 1884. and 

 Professor A. H. Phillips* saw a flock at Princeton in 1886. On 

 March 8th, 1896, two were seen near Ridgewood by Mr. DeL. Berier,^ 

 while in the winter of 1899-1900 Mr. AV. A. Babson saw them at 

 Princeton and Summit.* On Christmas day, 1903, they were seen at 

 Montclair, and in 1904 at Leonia.° 



Passer domesticus (Linnaeus). 

 House Sparrow, English Sparrow. 



Adult male. — Length, 5.50-6.25. Wing, 2.85-3. Crown, gray, with a chest- 

 nut patch on each side behind the eye ; rump, gray ; back streaked with black 

 and chestnut ; wing-coverts largely chestnut, tipped with white ; lower parts, 

 white or grayish-white ; middle of throat and upper breast, black. 



Female. — Above, grayish-brown, streaked with black and buff ; below, grayish- 

 white. 



Nest in any hole or shelter about buildings, etc. ; eggs, five, white, finely mot- 

 tled with olive-brown, 1.82 x .62. 



Abundant resident, except in most remote spots. 



The first Sparrows were imported to this country by the directors 

 of the Brooklyn Institute in the autumn of 1850, and eight pairs were 

 liberated in Brooklyn the following spring, but they did not thrive. 

 In 1852 a larger number were brought over, fifty of which were liber- 

 ated in the "ISTarrows" and the rest in Brooklyn in the spring of 1853. 



^Cf. Abst. Linn. Soc, N. Y., XV., p. 8; Bird Lore, 1903, p. 199; Bird Lore, 

 1904, p. 98. 



= Ward, Trans., N. Y., Acad. Sci., IV., p. 5. 



^ Oologist, 1886, p. 39. 



* Babson, Birds of Princeton, p. 60. 



'^ Auk, 1896, p. 175. 



^ Bird Lore, Christmas Lists, 1904 and 1907. 



