220 .'- BIRDS OF OHIO. 



INTRODUCED. 



Of the four species which have been introduced into 

 Ohio but two are to be found now. The English Sparrow 

 has become not only a nuisance, but a menace to the bal- 

 ance of nature between the insects and those birds which 

 feed upon insects, by crowding the native birds out in many 

 instances. It is not at all certain that the Mongolian or 

 Ring-necked Pheasant may not, ere long, also prove a men- 

 ace to the agricultural interests by a too great increase in 

 numbers. Happily the other two foreign species were un- 

 able to gain a foothold in our state. They might not have 

 proved injurious if they had succeeded in becoming accli- 

 matized, but it is never safe to make predictions. Recent 

 legislation forbids the importation of other birds and mam- 

 mals into the United States except under proper super- 

 vision. It is not likely that we shall have to learn over 

 again the folly of precipitate action of this sort. 



ORDER GALLING. 



Family PHASIANID^:. 



1. PHASIANUS TORQUATUS. 



Ring-necked Pheasant. 

 Synonyms: Mongolian Pheasant. 



Successfully introduced into Allen, Ashtabula, Crawford, 

 Erie, Hamilton, Hardin, Madison, Morgan, Scioto, and 

 Summit counties, and probably others. 



ORDER PASSERES. 

 Family FRINGILLID^:. 



2. PASSER DOMESTICUS (Linn.), [unnumbered.] 



English Sparrow. 



Synonyms: Pyrgita domestica, Fringilla domestica. 



European House Sparrow, Philip Sparrow, Parasite Gamin, 



Hoodlum, Tramp, The Sparrow. 

 Wheaton, Ohio Agri. Report, 1874, 566. 



