194 Birds of Pennsylvania. 



grasses, roots, etc.. lined with various soil materials, is placed on the 

 ground. The eggs, according to^Dr. Coues, number "'•four or six, 

 white, sprinkled with reddish and Wpker brown dots, about .80 by ,G0.'^ 

 During the fall, winter and spring Snowbirds feed almost entirely oq 

 seeds of divers weeds and grasses. Like the Oliippy, this bird olten 

 is seen about houses, ready to pick up crumbs, etc., which are thrown 

 out. 



Genus PASSER. Brisson. 

 Passer domesticus (Linn.). 



English Sparrow ; European House Sparro^v. 



DESCKirTiON. (Plate S3; Figs. 1 and 2, male aud/emale.) 



Male. — Bill black, legs, feet and eyes brown ; above reddisli brown, the back 

 streaked with black ; crown and under parts brownish ash ; chin and throat black ; 

 white wing-bar; a large patch of chestnut on each side of head, commencing over 

 and back of eyes and speading baclcwards to sides of neck ; lesser wing coverts 

 brigiit chestnut. 



Female. — Duller colored and lacking the black on chin and throat; pale brown 

 strioo back of eyes ; bill dark brown, lower mandible yellowish at base. 



Young. — Very similar to female but often recognizable by a few black patches on 

 throat and chin. 



Hub. — Europe, etc. Introduced about twenty years ago into the United States, 

 where it has become naturalized in nearly all inhabited districts. 



Abundant resident about buildings. Nests in bird boxes, holes in 

 trees, on branches of trees, in vines and in various places about houses 

 and other buildings. The nest is composed of dried grasses, pieces of 

 string, etc., lined with an abundance of feathers. The dull-whitish 

 eggs, from four to seven in number, are thickly spotted and streaked 

 with different shades of brown. They measure about .90 by .62 of an 

 inch. In this locality at least two, and probably more, broods are 

 reared in a season. The English Sparrow, as this species is commonly 

 known throughout the United States, is universally despised by 

 farmers, fruit-growers and naturalists because of its pernicious habits. 

 In the spring it feeds largely on the fruit buds of trees, bushes and 

 vines, chief among which may be mentioned the pear, apple, peach, 

 plum, cherry, currant and grape. Different garden products, sucli as 

 lettuce, beans, peas, cabbage, berries, pears, apples and grapes are 

 greedily fed upon. The Sparrow greatly damages the corn crop, 

 tearing open the husks, devouring the tender part of the ear and ex- 

 posing the remainder to the ravages of insects and to atmospheric 

 changes. It alights on fields of wheat, oats and barlej^, consuming 

 a large quantity, and, by swaying to and fro on the slender stalks and 

 flapping its wings, showers the remainder on the ground. In addition 

 to a much varied vegetable diet, the Sparrow has been known to kill 



