I''ltIN(llLI.II).K — TIIK I'INCIII'X 527 



birds, and the ('X]i('iiiiu'iit wiis siijijmjsciI ti> lio a i'ailuii', wlieu it was asccr- 

 taiiKMl tliat tlioy had ln'taki'ii thiMiisolves to the \iciiiity til' stables in the 

 southern part of tlie city, had iiiereu-^ed and niulli])Ht'd in hirij;c niiniliers, 

 rea|i]iearin|;' in the winter to the number of one liundred and lifty. They 

 were rej^ularly fed by tlu! t'ity Ibrester each day in thi' di'er-])aiU, and roosted 

 at nij,'ht in the Ihatcli of the roofs of tlie iniihlings. Since then tliey liavc- 

 very lar^uely increased. Aliout twenty, that same suninier, were set at lilierty 

 in ^lonument Sc^uare, ( harlestown. 



Tn lcS(i!l about one thousand birds were imjHjrted, ])y the City (iovern- 

 ment, into I'hiladelpiiia. Fortunately they canu' in ^ood condition, and beintf 

 released early in May inuuediately sejiaraled into scattered parties and pre- 

 jiared for themselves now homes. Some appeared in Morristown and other 

 distant towns in New -lersey. Others wandered to (lermantown, and the 

 remoter suburbs of riuladeli)liia, where they found tlie elierry-trees in lull 

 blossom, and where their exploits in slripiiin;^ tlu^ blooms from the trees 

 gave a not very favorable tirst im]iression of these new-comers. 



it has been exceedinL;ly interesting to watch the manners and lial)its of 

 these strangers in their new homes. They have, liecome (|uite tame, are fear- 

 less and gentle, and as they have been very kindly trci>ted live '.n a condition 

 of semi-dome.stieation. At first they built their nests, and ])a.ssed their win- 

 ters, ill Xew York, among the thick ivies that cover the walls of .so many 

 churches, in such eases building globular n.ests. As .soon, however, as suit- 

 able l)oxes wen^ prepared for tlu^m in sulVicient (piantities, these were taken 

 pos.sossion. of in preference to anything elsi'. 



At the time of their introduction the shade-trees in the parks and .scjuares 

 of Xew York, l'hiladeli)hia, ISrooklyn, Xewark.and otlier ]ilaces, were greatly 

 infeste<l with the larva' of the na'asure-wornis thai destroyed tlieir foliage. 

 Since then these worms have almost mtirely disappeared. A doulit has 

 been expressed whether the Sjjarrows destroy these insects. That they 

 eat them in the larva' form I do not know, liut to their destruction of the 

 chrysalis, the moth, anil the egg.s, 1 can testify, having been eye-witness 

 to the act. 



Aj)i»rehensioiis have been ex])ressed lest these new-comers may molest and 

 drive away <mu' own native liirds. How this may be when the Sparrows 

 become more numerous cannot now be determined, but so far they manifest 

 no such disiK)sition. Since their introduction into lUiston tiie Ciiippiug 

 Sparrows ajjpear to have increased, and to associate by ]ireference with their 

 Kuro])ean visitors, feeding with them unmolested. I have been unable to 

 detect a single instance in which they have been molested, in any manner, 

 liy their larger eompaniou.s. Tiu'ir ]iredatory aguressjous, however, upon tiie 

 rights of the common lioliin have been noticed, ami deserve mention. The 

 Sparrows appear to be extravagantly fond of eartiiwonns, b\it not able to 

 hunt for them them.selves. Tliey have learne(l to watcli tiu' l!(d)in as it 

 forages ibi these worms, keejiing around, at a respectful distance, and as soon 



