Gbe Marbler 27 



know are still breeding within the city limits, or at least have bred there 

 with in the past year or two. The territory embraced within the boundaries 

 of New York City, or, as is generally known, Greater New York, is vast 

 and includes not only the densely-populated sections of Manhattan and Brook- 

 lyn, but all of Staten Island, a part of what was formerly Westchester Coun- 

 ty, and a good portion of what was formerly Queens County, as well as Kings 

 County entire, reaching from the East River to the Atlantic Ocean at Coney 

 Island. The Borough of Richmond (Staten Island), the Borough of The 

 Bronx, and the Borough of Queens, are not yet so densely populated but that 

 some wild wooded spots may be found ; also many orchards and some hay- 

 fields and pastures, together with a good deal of marsh land adjacent to the 

 salt waters of Long Island and Staten Island. The heaviest timber within 

 the city limits is found in the Borough of Queens, along the ridge of hills 

 known as the backbone of Long Island. Here, in spots, is a considerable 

 growth of chestnut, oak, hickory and locust, and a few years ago was a 

 favorite breeding place for the Red-shouldered Hawk. While this timber is 

 rapidly disappearing to give place to streets, residences and gardens, it is still 

 the home of the Crow, the Wood Thrush and the Screech Owl. All in all, 

 the fields, hedges, woods, orchards and marsh lands within the city limits 

 afford favorable breeding places for a goodly number of species, but not so 

 many as we would like to find here, and not nearly as many as might yet be 

 found were it not for the superabundance of the English Sparrow. 



The English Sparrow 



{Passer domesticas) 



Often called European Sparrow, Domestic Sparrow, and more properly, House Sparrow 



THE English Sparrow is the most abundant bird of New York, as well 

 as of other American cities. Authentic records give 1850 as the date 

 of the first importation of this bird into the United States from Europe. In 

 that year eight pairs were brought over and liberated in the parks of Brook- 

 lyn, but they did not do well. Two years later a larger and more successful 

 importation was made to the same city. In 1854 the bird was introduced at 

 Portland, Maine, and in 1856 was introduced in Boston. In i860 twelve 

 birds were turned loose in Madison Square, New York, and four years later 

 a lot were liberated in Central Park. In 1867 and 1868 the English Spar- 

 row was imported into New Haven, Conn., and Galveston, Texas, and by 

 1873 they had been established in Salt Lake City, San Francisco and Hali- 

 fax, Nova Scotia, as well as many other cities of the United States and Can- 

 ada. In some sixteen different cities of the United States the bird was in- 

 troduced by direct importation. It has now overrun the entire country and 

 is a most serious pest. Aside from the fact that the English Sparrow fur- 

 nishes bird life for the city streets where there might otherwise be none, the 



