Vol l909^ VI ] Townsend, Habits of the English Sparrow. 13 



SOME HABITS OF THE ENGLISH SPARROW (PASSER 

 DOMESTICUS). 1 



BY CHARLES W. TOWNSEND, M. D. 



A certain Spanish proverb advises us in case we "do not get 

 what we like to like what we get." I am doubtful whether my 

 philosophy will ever bring me to the point of liking the English 

 Sparrow, but as most of my life is spent within the confines of 

 brick-lined streets, where the chief and nearly solitary ornithological 

 species is this same English Sparrow, it has seemed to me wise to 

 observe and to jot down my observations on the habits of this 

 much hated, and therefore much neglected bird. I shall not 

 refer here to the large subject of the relations of this alien to our 

 native birds, for of that side of the question much has been written, 

 and this too although my notes abound in such data and hark back 

 to the time when the English Sparrow was only beginning to drive 

 out the Tree Swallow and other box-building birds from our cities. 

 Most of the present day bird students can with difficulty realize 

 that about thirty years ago Tree Swallows were common breeding 

 birds even in our large cities. But I must avoid this sad and 

 irritating side of the subject. 



In the description of the habits of passerine birds, the account of 

 their song generally occupies an important part, but in the case of 

 the English Sparrow the song is reduced to the simplest terms and 

 consists merely of a repetition of the call notes. Whether the 

 primitive nature of their song is due to the fact that it has never 

 developed beyond this point, or whether it is a degeneration or 

 reversion from a more evolved song are merely matters of conjecture, 

 but it seems reasonable to suppose that in either case the noise and 

 hubbub of mankind among which the birds live has something 

 to do with is harsh, unmusical character. 



That this repetition of the call notes constitutes their song, one 

 cannot doubt who has listened to the jangling racket on a spring 

 morning. This 'chorus' begins from twenty to thirty minutes 

 before sunrise in April, May and June on bright days, — fifteen 



1 Read before the Nuttall Ornithological Cub, November 9, 190S. 



