SPARROWS 391 



cases the nesting season is prolonged or subject to much varia- 

 tion, the same as in case of the Crossbills. 



Generally the species is a frequenter of coniferous woods 

 during the nesting season as well as at other times, but in fall 

 and winter it is found in very similar situations to and often 

 associated with the Goldfinches and Redpolls. The food con- 

 sists of the seed of various coniferous and deciduous trees, and 

 in winter weed and plant seeds, in fact their diet is very simi- 

 lar to that of the Redpolls. Up the West Branch of the 

 Penobscot in late May, 1908, I found them in family groups 

 of four to six feeding on the swill and other refuse near the 

 driving camps, and also eating scraps of meat left in the empty 

 pork barrels. 



Genus PASSER Brisson. 



§§§. Passer domesticus (Linn.). English Sparrow; Euro- 

 pean House Sparrow ; Rats-of-the-air; Winged Fighters; "Cus- 

 sed Sparrers." 



Plumage of adult male : crown grayish, bordered by a chestnut patch on 

 each side extending from eye to nape ; back streaked black and chestnut ; 

 rump ashy ; wing coverts tipped with white, forming two white bands on 

 wing ; a large black patch in middle of throat and breast ; sides of throat, 

 lower breast and belly whitish. Plumage of adult female and immature : 

 back streaked black and ochraceous ; head and rump grayish brown ; below 

 whitish, suffused on sides and breast with grayish brown ; otherwise much 

 like adult male. The immatvure males generally have the black throat and 

 breast patch more or less strongly indicated, and very exceptionally a female 

 shows this also. A great tendency to partial or more or less total albinism 

 exists in many individuals. Wing 2.97 ; culmen 0.68. 



Geog. Dist. — All of Europe save Italy, eastward to Persia, India and Cey- 

 lon ; introduced by misguided innocents and naturalized in America, Australia, 

 New Zealand and many other countries. 



County Records. — It is sufficient to state under this heading that the species 

 is far too commonly found in every county in Maine, there being scarcely a 

 town or village of any size where it does not occur, and it is also distributed 

 throughout the more thickly settled country districts, even being found 

 along the country highways between Fort Fairfield and Limestone and 

 between Fort Kent and St. Francis in Aroostook County. 



