The English Sparrow 



first been purposely introduced at San Francisco in 1871 or 1872, made its 

 way by means of the transcontinental railways, and by 1886 had become 

 thoroughly established in the San Francisco Bay region, — as also at 

 Eureka, Stockton and Hollister. "Within a few years practically all suit- 

 able parts of California north of the 35th parallel and west of the High 

 Sierras had been invaded." Southern California, both by reason of the 

 insulation provided by the eastern deserts, and the previous occupation 

 by the House Finch, was long immune. But in 1901 Howard noted the 

 birds at Bakersfield, and in 1903 at Tehachapi, although they were not to 

 be found that season at Mohave. Newhall, 1906 (reported by Law), 

 appears to be the earliest date for Los Angeles County, although the birds 

 made their appearance in Los Angeles the following year. Bradford 

 Torrey saw them at Santa Barbara in 1909. By 1912 Pasadena and 

 Riverside were employing a professional Sparrow-killer to keep the pest 

 down; but San Diego was immune till November, 1913. Howell and 

 Huey saw the pioneers, or spies, on San Clemente on March 30th, 191 5, 

 and shot hopefully; while I was less successful, in that I had no gun to 

 rebuke the first pilgrim on Santa Cruz Island, April 18, 1915. 



At the present writing, the occupation of all cities and towns is prac- 

 tically complete, and the birds swarm through the Imperial Valley and 

 the infra-sea-level stations of the Colorado Desert, no less than along the 

 upper reaches of the Sacramento and in the Surprise Valley. 



The favorite means of dissemination has always been the box car, and 

 especially the grain car. The Sparrows, being essentially grain and seed 

 eaters, frequent the grain cars as they stand in the railroad yards, and are 

 occasionally imprisoned in them, hopeful stowaways and "gentlemen of 

 fortune." In this manner, also, the larger cities and railroad towns were 

 first colonized. The sparrow follows the flag of commerce, and if he were 

 prescient he would probably dread as much as we do the day when increas- 

 ing pressure of numbers will drive him into the chaparral. 



Difficult as it may seem, it is true that the English Sparrow adopts the 

 policy of Uriah Heep upon first entering a town. With all the unctuous 

 humility of a band of Mormon apostles, the newcomers talk softly, walk 

 circumspectly, and either seek to escape notice altogether, or else assid- 

 uously cultivate the good opinion of their destined dupes. Thus, I 

 resided in the town of Blaine, on the northern border of the United States, 

 for two months (in 1904) before running across a single member of the 

 pioneer band of nine English Sparrows, although I was assured on good 

 authority that the birds had been there for at least two years. A very 

 similar experience attended early inquiries in Santa Barbara, and it was 

 not till 1 913 that I learned precisely which palm trees in town were most 

 likely to harbor the Englishers. 



225 



