Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-11-20
THE ENGLISH SPARROW.
Its Increase and Depredattons In the
state.

The Portland Press prints an extended ar
ticle on the English sparrow, which has in
creased so rapidly in the State and is
abundant in this city aud different portions
of the country. The Press has very poor
opinion of this bird and styles it parasite.
The first sparrows known to have been
brought to this country were imported by a
Mr. Deblois in 1858, at which time he re-
leased six birds on his estate in the city of
Portland.
The complaints which are made in Port
land and Bangor against these pugnacious
little birds are made quite generally through
out the State. They have not penetrated in-
to the country regions or the very small
villages to any extent as yet. But in all the
places of any size they are already at home.
They are in York county, having been
domiciled at South Berwick for seven wears
and at Sanford for five years. They have
been in Fryeburg for about two years. To
the eastward they have been in Brunswick,
some say for ten years ; in Bath they appeared
five years ago, and the same year they are
said to have appeared in Calais. Three years
ago they reached Richmond on the Kennebec.
and they have been at Augusta and Waterville
for some time. IN Oxford county they were
in Buckfield, on the east, three years before
they appeared at Fryeburg on the west. They
have penetrated into Piscataquis county, sp-
pearing at Monson three wears ago. That
same year the people of Houton, in Aroos-
took county, observed them for the first
time and on the 10Th day of October of this
year, scarcely a month ago. a flock of seven
ty-fve took possession at Fort Kent. in the
most northerly portion of the State A little
more than a dozen years have witnessed their
progress from the PiscataQus to the Upper
ST. John
Their spread in this State has been accel-
Grated in several instances by the efforts of
men who thought the sparrows desirable
neighbors. For instance, twelve years ago
MIR. Patrick McGilicuddy brought twelve of
the birds to Lewiston, and all the large vii
lsges within twenty miles of that city are
now infested with them. In other instances
the birds seem to have set out in war par
ties to see what new villages they might con-
quer and inhabt. Mr.. Stanley, Commits
siouer of Fish and Game, relates that
such war party came to Dlxfell last
spring. There were twenty or thirty
OF the birds, and they undertook to possess
themselves of 4 house occupied by colony
OF martins. battle royal took place. but
the martins held the fort and the sparrows
retreated. While Dixield is often visited
by fiocks, they never have made any perma-
nent settlement.
1t is evident that within the last decade the
sparrows have been very active in colonizing
this State, and that within the last five years
their spread has been very rapid indeed. And
wherever they have once gained foothold,
their increase has generally been remarkable.
! And in most places where they are numerous
it is observed that they are regarded as
nuisances. They are great fighters, generally
among themselves if there is no enemy near.
There is complaint in Lewiston that they are
driving out the purple martin, the white.
belied sparrow. the bluebird and the wren
| in Brunswick it has been noticed that Other
spsrrows and bluebirds are forced TO leave
Nearly every village has some story of their
aggressions.