26 THE ENGLISH SPARROW IN AMERICA. 



Dr. W. S. Strode, of Bernadotte, Fulton County, 111., writes: 

 In (lie spring of 1685 I first noticed four or five pairs in our little town, making the 

 eaves of the flouring mill their headquarters, and here they hrooded. By the next 

 winter their numher had increased to a score or more, and they staid with us. The next 

 season they had hecome numerous, nesting wherever they could find a snitahlo place 

 in "barns and houses, no one molesting them or paying much attention to them. This 

 season by their increasing numbers they demanded attention and commenced spread- 

 ing out into the country to find nesting places. (Septemher 7, 1887.) 



From L. N. Bonharn, Oxford, Butler County, Ohio : 



Farm one mile from village. The Sparrows are very abundant here, and are spread- 

 ing from farm to farm in every direction. They appeared in the village about eight 

 years ago. (November 29, 1856.) 



From S. E. Eoss, Portsmouth, Scioto County, Ohio: 



The city is overrun with Sparrows, and they are also finding their way to the ad- 

 joining farms and villages. (September 2, 1886. Present about twelve years.) 



From S. C. Prout, Prout, Erie County, Ohio: 



They are hero in large flocks on each farm, whether large or small. (January 7, 

 1837. Present about ten years.) 



From William II. Elgar, Platteville, Grant Count}-, Wis. : 

 There are as many here in the city now as ever, but it has extended into the coun- 

 try more. (November 23, 1886. Present about five years.) 



AT THE CLOSE OF THE YEAR 1S8G. 



In the year 1SSG the English Sparrow was found to have established 

 itself in thirty- five States and five Territories. Of these it occupies the 

 whole or large parts of the following thirty-three States and two Terri- 

 tories : Alabama, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, District 

 of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Lou- 

 isiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missis- 

 sippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Kew Hampshire, ^New Jersey, New York, 

 North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, 

 Tennessee, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin, 

 and is found in a few towns in Florida, Texas, Wyoming, Idaho, and 

 Arizona. Small, isolated colonies may exist in a few other Territories, 

 but if so they have escaped the searching inquiry of the Department. 

 In the United States the total area occupied at the close of the year 

 18SG is 885,000 square miles; in Canada it is not quite 148,000 square 

 miles ; in all, 1,033,000 square miles. * 



Some idea of the alarming rapidity with which it is at the present mo- 

 ment multiplying and extending its range may be had from the fact 

 that in the United States alone it has spread during the past fifteen 

 years at the average rate of 59,000 square miles per year, and in the 

 United States and Canada together at the rate of G9,000 square miles 

 per year. But this average rate manifestly is misleading, so far as both 



*The data on which the computation of the Canadian area is based are insuffi- 

 cient, consequently the size of the area here given must he regarded as approximate 

 only. The United States area, however, may he looked upon as very nearly exact. 



