324 CINCHES, SPARROWS, ETC. 



The pine finch resembles the goldfinch in general, but its home is 

 in the evergreen mountain forests, and after the nesting season it 

 wanders erratically over the country in high-flying flocks, giving its 

 plaintive cha, cha, as it goes, and coming to earth when a weed 

 patch or the cones of an evergreen offer it a meal. It might easily 

 be mistaken for a striped sparrow, but as it spreads its wings and 

 tail to get its balance in feeding, the yellow patches identify it at a 

 glance. When disturbed at a meal the flocks often make short 

 circling flights, loath to give up their harvest.. 



In Colorado, Prof. Cooke says it is a common resident, abundant 

 along the foothills during migrations, and from 7000 feet to timber- 

 line in summer. Some stay near timberline through the winter, 

 but the bulk scatter over the lower valleys and plains. In southern 

 California Mr. Griimell finds it irregularly in the willow regions 

 and lowlands in winter. 



GENUS PASSER. 



Passer domesticus (Linn.). ENGLISH SPARROW. 



Form stout and stocky ; bill very stout, curved, side outlines bulging- to 

 near the end ; wing pointed ; tail shorter than 

 wings, nearly even ; feet small. Adult male : lores, 



throat, and chest patch black ; rest of under parts 



Fig. 410. Male. grayish ; top of head and ear coverts grayish, with 

 bright chestnut patches between eye and nape ; wing 



with chestnut patch and two white bands ; rest of upper parts brown, back 

 streaked with black ; upper parts dull brown ; 

 under parts dull gray. Adult female : crown and 



hind neck grayish brown or olive ; entire under 



Fig. 411. Female. parts brownish white or gray ; back browner, less 



refuscent than in male. Length : 5.50-6.25, wing 

 about 2.85-3.00, tail 2.35-2.50. 



Distribution. Europe in general, except Italy ; introduced and natural- 

 ized in Canada and the United States, from the Atlantic west to Utah and 

 New Mexico, with colonies in central California, Portland, Oregon, and 

 Seattle, Washington; also Bahamas, Cuba, Bermudas, Nova Scotia, and 

 southern Greenland. 



Nest. About houses or in trees, bulky, made largely of dried grasses. 

 Eggs : 4 to 7, thickly spotted with dark brown and purplish. 



"The introduction of the English sparrow is one of the most 

 familiar examples of acclimatization. Brought over to the United 

 States in 1850, the bird developed such a marvelous ability to 

 adapt itself to new surroundings and increased so rapidly that by 

 1870 it had gained a foothold in twenty states and the District of 

 Columbia, as well as in two provinces of Canada. At the present 

 time [1899] it is found in every state and territory except Alaska, 

 Arizona, Montana, and Nevada." (Palmer.) 



