o2G 



XOUTIl AMKlilCAX IJIRDS. 



however, in 1871, was more sncresst'ul. One thousand Idrds were h't h»ose 

 in I he laihlic s(iuares of IMiiladelpIiia in the spring «)t 1SI)!>. In and ai>out 

 Havana it is said to he eonnnon, as also ahout (Jreat Salt Lake, where it 

 was reeentlv introduced bv the Murnious, aeeordinji to ^Ir. J. A. Allen. 

 Habits. The coiunion House Sj)arrow (tf pju'ope has, within the past few 



years, aehievetl a riglit to u })Liee in the 

 avi-fauna of Xorth America ]»v its com- 

 l>lete introduction, and its reproduction in 

 huge nuiiihers, in various parts of the 

 covditry, from Portland, Me., to Washing- 

 ton Citv, as also ahout Salt Lake. 



The first attemjtt to introduce these 

 l>irds, within mv knowlediie, was made 

 bv a gentleman named Deblois, in Port- 

 p,r^,ta aon,.st,ra. kml, Mc., iu thc fall of 1S:,8. Sixbirds 



were set at libertv in a larije iiai'den in the central i)art of the citv. 

 Thev remained in the neighborh<»od through the winter, and in the shel- 

 terinii i>orch of a neiuhboring church thev found places of shelter and 

 security. In the following s}>ring three nests were built in dwarf pear- 

 trees in the garden in which they were Hrst set at liberty. One, at 

 least, of these nests, was successfully occui)ied, and si.x young birds were 

 reared from it. A second nest, with four young, was also hatched by the 

 same i)air. Neither of these nests was globular in shape, but open and 

 coarse, built of hay and straws. These nests were taken, after their use, and 

 came into my ])ossession. Since then I have been informed that these birds 

 increased and multiplied, and for a while weiv ([uite abundant in that portion 

 of the city, and a large colony of this Sparrow appeared in the winter of 

 1871 ni Kockhmd, Me. 



Two years later. Mr. Eugene Schieffelin, of Xew York. im])orted and set 

 at liberty, near Madison S(|uare, in that city, twelve of these birds, and this 

 he repeated for several successive summers. In 18G4, fourteen birds \vere ^ 

 set at libertv in Central Park, by the Commissioners. Other birds were also 

 brought from Kngland, by ditlerent ]»arties, in the Cunard steiuners, and re- 

 leased at Jersev ( 'itv. These have increased verv largely, and have sitread 

 to the adjoining cities, until these birds have become familiar and social resi- 

 dents in all the large cities and towns within an extended area around New 

 York, as well as in all ])arts of that eity. 



They were introduced int<» lioston by the CMty Government in 18«)8. Two 

 hundred birds were jmrchased in Oermany, but unfortunately all died <>n 

 their passage excejtt about a score. These were set at liberty in June, but, 

 weakened !>y their sea-voyage, several of them were found dead in the deer- 

 park, and the rest disappeared. Tiie foUouing summer more were imported, 

 but all died excej)t ten. These were well care(l for, and only rtdeased 

 when in excellent condition. For some moiiths nothing was seen of these 



