section of our cities, or dente out. from under the wharves | 
where they daily seek their insects. | 
If you happen to find a small -grayish-brown swallow, 
whose back does not shimmer, you will have to decide 
whether it is a Rough-winged Swallow, or a Bank Swallow. 
If the bird has a brownish-gray breast-band across its 
white lower parts, it is the Bank Swallow, but if the lower © 
part is similar to the back, it is the Rough-winged. The 
_ latter name was given to this bird because it has a number of _ 
queer, little hooks, whose use is unknown, on the front edges | 
of the wing's: but these may be seen only when a apeCineD. | 
is in your hand. | 
While swallows are away from the Northwest in the 
winter months, there are several varieties of the sparrow 
family that spend their entire time here. Among the com- 
monest are the rusty song sparrow, the English or house . 
sparrow, and the Oregon towhee. | 
Many people dislike the house sparrows eae of the - 
evil tales they have heard about them, but they could not — 
have recognized these birds, and do not know that there are . 
many valuable kinds of sparrows, without whose help the — 
earth would be an unpleasant abiding “= overrun ae | 
weeds and insects. } 
The house sparrows did not leave thei native land a 
come to America, however, of their own accord. They were 
trapped and carefully brought across the ocean, and their 
coming had the aid and approval of bird students, who could 
not bring with them the conditions which kept them in 
check in Europe. They were first landed in America in 1858 
in Portland, Maine says Elliott Coues. Thirty were set free 
to fight the army worm in 1868 1 in Boston, and one thousand | 
in Philadelphia in 1869 for the same purpose, while about 
this same time others were set free in New York. 
With the cunning, strength, and vigor which had been 
_ developed through generations of struggle in Europe, they | 
have learned to care for themselves almost eiiudie ts and 
23 
