H O U S E - S P A R R O W .
PASSER DOMESTICUS.
I s the appearance of the city-bred iiml country Spa.rr.rn there is always a striking difference; the ewpect of the
townsman is by no means preposs essing. his worn ami shabby attire, frequently black and grimy as the smokedried
trees and buildings to which he resorts contrasts but poorly with (hat of his country relative. The
plumage of the latter is for the most part neat nnd trim, the hright colouring of his check" and Hanks,
as well as the warm rod tints on his back, show up conspicuously in the sunlight and render bis
appearance by no means unattractive ; the two birds if seen in company could scarcely be supposed to belong
to one and the same species.
Prom north to south the House-Sparrow is abundant and appears gradually to be extending its range in
some parts of the Highlands. Twenty years ago 1 remarked the absence of these birds about the dwellings in
several of the remotest glens; of late years, however, a few pairs have hiken up their quarters round the
shouting-lodges or the small collections o[ sheulings termed villages in such districts.
Sparrows are decidedS |niL.oi.ua ,os. frequent Ij light i'ig .inning thonisolve> and occasionally » ¡1 b olher species.
On the 27th of December, lss:j, 1 happened to be watching a brightly phnn.igcd old male that hail settled at
some food thrown out for the benefit of the pensioners who regularly collect on our lawn, when a couple of
Starlings ilew down and attempted to claim a share. Undaunted by the size of his assailants, the Sparrow
resulutely defended the portion he luul appropriated; with open beak he faced his fin's and successful!) repul-ed
three or Tour attacks, the Starlings eventually drawing otf and leaving the plucky little fellow in possession.
The encounter appeared exceedingly ridiculous, the two long-legged giants {Starlings when lighting draw themselves
up to their greatest height) stalking cautiously round and darting from time to time at the diminutive
Sparruvv, who, crouching down on his prey with elevated and expanded tail, quietly awaited and repulsed every
attempt to approach the food he guarded. When pressed by want these birds become exi dingly daring : the
excessive drought early in July l*->t rendered soft food very difficult to obtain, and while the -ullry weather
lasted 1 repeatedly noticed one or two cock Sparrows hopping round aud closely watching the actions of the
Blackbirds while seeking for grubs or worms on the lawn ; the moment any prey was secured the Sparrows
wuuld dash in, and in almost every instance carry olf whatever had been extracted from below the soil. A
female Sparrow that attempted to emulate the exploits of her lord and master was assailed by an old ben Blackbird,
and having been utterly vanquished was fumed to seek safety by Might. As a rule. Sparrows take but
little notice of a cat as she creeps stealthily round the stacks while on the watch for mice, neither do they show
their enmity when, on maternal duties bent, she makes her way demurely across the yard towards her kittens
concealed in the liurn; they seem, however, to detect at once the poacher who pro wis along the hedgerow or
through the plantations in quest of feathered prey. In our gardens we are able to I race accurately the course
taken by the feline marauders when stalking through the shrubberies, by the calls and excited actions of the
swarm of small birds in attendance. The loud " chuck chuck '' of the Blackbird first attracts attention and