FARMERS^ IN^STITUTES. 505 



THE ENGLISH SPARROW 



W S. RATLIFF, RICHMOND, IM). 



[Read before Wayne County Horticultural Society] 



Perhaps nb importation of a bird or animal into this country by public 

 or private enterprise has caused so much grave concern of later years in 

 economic science, as the House or English sparrow (Passer domesticus), 

 and no doul)t a larger sum of money will be necessary to materially re- 

 duce its numbers than for any other imported pest. Its multiplication 

 affects the growing of seeds and grains, vegetables, fruits, flowers, for- 

 estry and ornamental shrubs and vines. 



In the consideration of this pest, it must be admitted that it has one 

 redeeming quality, and that is, it is a feathered creature— a bird, and the 

 following notes are given impartially from individual observation, from 

 Investigations of scientific men, from notes of the Biological Surveys and 

 through the Division of Economic Ornithology, under the Department of 

 Agriculture, to show the extent of its colonization, its uselessness, its de- 

 structiveness and its obnoxiousuess. 



The earliest importations from England of the sparrow that were liber- 

 ated and thrived, were in 1852, by the Brooklyn Institute of New York. 

 These were followed by others up to 1881, in the States of Maine, Rhode 

 Island, Massachusetts. New York, Connecticut, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, 

 Utah, Wisconsin and loAva in the order named. Perhaps the largest single 

 importation was l.OUO birds in 'GO, to Salt Lake City. Several hundred 

 were sent from one part of the United States to another, until almost the 

 whole country from one ocean to the other and from the Hudson Bay to 

 the Gulf was soon overrun with the dreaded scourge. 



In Indiana, Indianapolis received its first share from New York City, 

 in 1871-2, of several hundred birds; Evansville next, followed liy Lafayette 

 and other cities in rapid succession. In our own town of Richmond, the 

 first birds were seen on our streets in 1860. and were welcomed by our 

 citizens as a good omen, not having been imported or introduced, but mi- 

 grating perhaps from Cincinnati. Great interest was centered in these 

 birds and fruit men and farmers believed the subject of insect destroyers 

 was solved. The "reputation" of this V)ird was accepted without ques- 

 tion, except by a few who are slow to accept any new accessions, and 

 they were not only permitted to remain unmolested, but were soon pro- 

 tected by legislation. 



The sparrow's diffusion aside from man's efforts was secured in othei* 

 ways. Empty and grain-filled box cars transported them hundred of 

 miles, where new colonies were soon started, where they soon adapted 



