62 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



liberty, and the pursuit of happiness after their own 

 fashion. To offset all this what have we? Nothing, 

 absolutely nothing. 



From KEY TO NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS, 



By dr. ELLIOTT COUES. 



The English sparrow was imported about fifteen [twenty] 

 years ago. During a craze which even affected some 

 Ornithologists, making people fancy that a granivorous 

 conirostral bird would rid us of insect-pests, this sturdy 

 and invincible little bird has overrun the whole country, 

 and proved a nuisance without a redeeming quality. 

 Well-informed persons denounced the bird without avail 

 during the years when it might have been abated ; but 

 further protest is futile, for the sparrows have it all their 

 own way, and can afford to laugh at legislature, like rats, 

 mice, cockroaches and other parasites of the human race 

 which we have imported. This species, of all birds, 

 naturally attaches itself more closely to man, and easily 

 modifies its habits to suit such artificial surroundings ; 

 this ready yielding to conditions of environment, and pro- 

 fiting by them, makes it one of the creatures best fitted to 

 survive in the struggle for existence under whatever con- 

 ditions man may afford or enforce ; hence it wins in every 

 competition with native birds, and in this country has as 

 yet developed no counteractive influence to restore a 

 disturbed balance of forces, nor any check whatever upon 

 its limitless increase. Its habits need not be noted, as 

 they are already better known to everyone than any native 

 bird whatever. 



