NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS. 365 



various kinds of trees. The eggs are four to six in numb^ of greenish-white, or 

 light greenish-blue, dotted with reddish-brown around the larger end. Their average 

 size is .72X.50. 



-f S * * ETTBOPEAN HOUSE SPARROW (ENGLISH SPARROW). Passer domestt- 

 ciis (Linn.) Geog. Dist. — Europe, etc.; introduced into the United States. 



It is a matter of sincere regret that these rats of the air were ever introduced into 

 America. The English Sparrow,* by which name it is so widelj' known, was first 

 introduced into the United States at Brooklyn, N. Y., in 1851 and 1852; at Portland, 

 Me., in 1854 and 1858; Boston, Mass., 1858, 1864 and 1869; in New York city 1860, 1864 

 and 1866; Cleveland, Ohio, and various other towns throughout the state between 

 1869 and 1872. As far West as Iowa it was introduced as late as 1881. It was fully 

 established in the city of Quebec, about the year 1866. Prom these and other 

 points its numbers have spread and multiplied over vast territories east and west, 

 north and south. In many instances the first birds introduced did not thrive, and it 

 was frequently necessary to replenish their broken numbers with new recruits before 

 they were acclimatized. There are chiefly two offences with which this pest is 

 charged: The destruction of grain and fruit, and the molestation of many of our 

 native birds whose nesting places it captures through sheer force of its numbers. 

 Among the latter I may name the Bluebird, Martin, Downy Woodpecker, Crested 

 Titmouse, White-breasted Nuthatch and others whose nesting places are in holes of 

 trees or in boxes put up for their purpose. Had the wise men who first introduced 

 these hoodlums into this country traveled a little farther east — to Great Britain and 

 Germany — for the purpose of ascertaining the true character of this bird's nature, 

 they doubtless would have been as eager to have spent their time and money in order 

 to keep them out of this country as they were enthusiastic to introduce them. We 

 believe, however, it has come to stay, and the problem now is, how shall we get rid 

 of it? The nest of this Sparrow is built in all conceivable places, in the branches of 

 trees, vines upon walls, in bushes, in open buildings, in all manner of cracks and 

 crevices about buildings, in boxes located anywhere and in holes in trees. The nest 

 is composed of straw, hay, grass, feathers, and any rubbish that happens to be near. 

 A nest, which was composed of steel turnings of a lathe, was lodged on a beam in the 

 Panhandle shops at Columbus. Two broods had been reared in this nest 

 in one season. The House Sparrow may be said to do more or less building every 

 month of the year, but rarely if ever raises more than six broods in a year, the ma- 

 jority probably not more than four. The eggs in a set range from four to seven, 

 usually five or six in number; they are of a dull whitish color, thickly speckled and 

 dashed with dayk brown and purplish gray; size about .87x.64 inches. 



' • * EUROPEAIT TREE SPARROW. Passer montanus (Linn.) Geog. Dist. — 

 Europe; naturalized about St. Louis and elsewhere. 



This species looks very much like the European House Sparrow, and it nests 

 similarly — in holes of trees, noo^s and corners of isolated buildings, etc. The eggs are 

 four to six in number, similar to those of P. domesticus, but averaging "smaller and 

 usually darker and redder." The bird is thoroughly naturalized in the vicinity of 

 St. Louis, Mo. 



*The name "English Sparrow" is a misnomer, as the species is not confined to 

 Elngland, but is native to nearly the whole of Europe. Most of the birds imported into 

 this country came from England, hence the misleading name. 



