936 



Eepokt of State Geologist. 



Nest, about houses, in trees, etc., of grass, hay, and feathers. Eggs, 

 6-9; soiled white, speckled with brown; .86 by .62. 



The European House Sparrow, which is generally known as "Eng- 

 lish Sparrow," is a resident throughout the State. Its history in 

 America is but one of the accounts of the folly of ignorance, in the 

 introduction of species into a new country, where, under favorable con- 

 ditions, they so thrive at the expense of man and his native bird 



European House sparrow. .Male. 



(Barrows, Bulletin I, Division of Economic Ornithology and Mammalogy, United States 

 Department of Agriculture. 1889, p. 16 ) 



friends, that they become a serious pest. They were first introduced 

 into the United States at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1850, and into several 

 other cities at different times from that date to 1869. They were 

 brought to Louisville, Ky., between 1865 and 1870. Cleveland, 0., 

 received 40 birds in 1869, and the same year Cincinnati received && 

 pairs. In Indiana, they are said to have first appeared at New Albany, 

 presumably from Louisville, Ky., in 1867. In 1869 they were brought 

 to Eichmond from Philadelphia, Pa. In 1871 and 1873 several hun- 

 dred were brought to Indianapolis from New York City. In 1873 

 they were introduced into Evansville, and about 1874 into Lafayette. 

 From these points they spread, appearing at Burlington about 1870; 

 Greencastle, 1872; Bloomington, 1875, and at Brookville, 1878. It 

 was not observed at Albion until about 1880. 



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