HOUSE-SPARROW.
soon collect* a mob of Sparrows, wbota ibrlll notes rapidly draw the irhola of their fraternity within hearing to
the spot. List, winter 1 witnessed a must lively scene: at least titty or sixty birds of various species had settled
on the surrounding branches or were Hying down and hovering round a vagrant pussy vainly attempting to
spring to (he top of a wall along which l i r e netting had been stretched; every time the animal dashed at the
wire (invisible OH ing to the overhanging branches) it was ibrown violently b ickwards, being followed towards
the ground by numbers of the noisy rabble. The animosity exhibited by a pair of Wrens, who were by far the
most demonstrative nf the party, was most amusing ; with milled feathers t liese liny miles fluttered, screaming
open-mouthed to within the distance of a Tew inches, or perched, when wearied by their exertions, for a few
moments on the twigs immediately above the object of their haired, still giving vent lo their fury with
Though evincing a partiality for the immediate vicinity of human habitations", the Sparrow selects a
variety of situations in "Inch to rear its young. So well known are the usual muling ipuitHl of this familiar
species that it is uniuvessary to enter into particulars concerning their hrceding-habita, which hive been
dcserilHil by endless writers; one or two facts referred to in my notes may, however, be worth recording.
The mud-built nests of the House-Martin arc frequently appropriated by Sparrows, their rightful owners
being turned out and driven toother quarters. These domiciles apparently pus-.es-. a peculiar attraction for
this species, and the rapidity with which they are again occupied after one pair of Sparrows have been disposed
of would scarcely be credited. Early in June 1S*3 I noticed a couple of pair of Martins building under the
eves of a farmhouse in Norfolk ; no sooner were the ucats (which bad been constructed side by side) completed
than the unfortunate Marlins were evicted. For a short time one or two would occasionally return and after
circling round skim up to the nest, speedily heating a retreat when facial by the beak of an impudent Sparrow
protruded from the opening. The old cocks were often to be sum silting with their heads blocking the
entrances, which in both ones had lieen at o n e enlarged to suit the size of the present lodgers. As I was
anxious to retain the Martins round Ihe house, [ shot down every Sparrow that entered the nests during
the hours I happened to bo on the spot, four males and two females being killed the first two days.
I remarked on one occasion after a male was shot that the female secured another male within an hour.
About live-aud-lwenty having been cleared oil' in less than a week, the nests remained vacant fur a
day or two ; as no -Martins, however, put in an appearance to claim Ihcir old quarters, 1 left the Sparrows
for the future unmolested.
In June 1^72. while slieltorinir IV no a heavy shower un ler an overhanging bank on tli• • roadside adjoining
a plantation near Palmer, in Sussex, my attention was attracted by a Sparrow endeavouring lo approach the
spot n i l h food, and turning round, a young brood was discovered in a nest placed in a hole in the chalky soil
among the roots drooping through from the thorn-bushes above. Farm-building-, tliutelcl and slated lodges,
as well as ivy-clad walls being within the distance of a couple of hundred yards, the site chosen appeared
remarkable. As the crumbling bank overhung considerably, a dark shadow was thrown on the spot where the
hole for the nest had been scratched. Within a couple of feet of the entrance a Long-eared Bat (I'eapertilio
uirri/im) was hanging from one of the twining ro its. The hollow excavated in the bank measured about four
inches across at the opening, the width of the interior of the cavity being un inch or two more in extent; the
entrance to the nest, of which only a small porlion was visible from the outside, was placed exactly in the
centre of the aperture in the chalk. The birds bad constructed their cradle with the usual materials, employing
for Ihe exterior strands of hay, rough grass, and fibres of roots, with a warm lining of fi*athcrs and small
pieces of sheep's wool.
Until the present season, I have always protected Sparrows during summer; at lasl, however, it became
necessary to reduce their numbers, and several nests were lately removed from an ivy-clad wall in my garden.
* I nmnul cull to mind en tlUtlSIII IIf I Wing I«VimI n i l Ulll ftw | |SllhS of n milcfroni a dwrLiliR-liimw.
HOUSE-SPARROW.
While examining their composition I remarked that Ihe lining in almost ever) instance consisted of Ihe down
plucked by some captive Wildfowl, while sitting, to cover their eggs, together with a quantity of feathers from
Ihe same birds. Some half-dozen nests of these Duels baling recently been cleared away and thrown on a
rubbish-heap, the Sparrows had evidently availed themselves of the opportunity for furnishing their own
domiciles; small scraps of paper had also been intermixed with these materials hi one or two ncsls.
Though suilicieutly hardy lo endure ihe cold lo which we are exposed during most w inters. Sparrows suffer
severely from the effects of Ihe hurricanes that occasionally break over these island-. During the lerritje snowstorm
of January IS, lS-il. the force of Ihe wind and drilling snow was such that thousands of small birds were
driven to seek shelter from the cutting blasts in all sorts of out of Ihe way corners and en-vices, from which
lew succeeded in el feel ing their escape. An instance w here at le.i-t lil'l v Sp n-rovvs had taken refuge under the
shelter of a t rug-basket" (containing li-h for the captive 1 binnets) placed in a shed on our grounds near Brighton
cione under my notice, the warmth from the chimney-stack or a furnace, against which the basket was lying,
having pri drably atli-ieled them lo the spot. These unfortunate birds were huddled together In an almost
helpless mass, most of them being unable lo rise ou wing or even slir, as the snow- had frozen into solid
lumps of ice upon their backs and rendered flight uiquissible. On the following morning between forty
and fifty were found lying deatl under the snow-drills collected round the basket.
A few works hack I watched a pair of Sparrow* amusing themselves in a mo-l singular manner ; the two
birds wen- perched on the gutter running round the roof of a conservatory, from which point they kept
Buttering some thr.-e or four feet up the glass and then sliding quietly back, the performance being indulged
in for several minutes.
Though the farmer has jnsl cause for complaint against this species, Ihe Sparrow makes a certain amount
of reparation lor tin- damage committed, by the quantities of insects supplied to the young broods. In the
iomieiliale vicinity of towns I have repeatedly seen acres of com where the ears were almost entirely shipped
of grain, clouds of young Sparrows rising from these barren patches when alarmed. In such localities it is
necessary for the birds to be continually seared, or great loss would ensue, the couuth-ss multitude* that
find shelter aliout the buildings in the neighbourhood being cnlircly beyond the retch of Ihe farmer. A few
pence for every n o t e or dozen are often paid by agriculturists in the country to the lads hi their employment for
young Sparrows taken ou the premises. If those who otfer these rewards thoroughly understood their own
interests, nunc hut full-fledged birds just tit to quit the nest and commence plundering ou their own account
would be destroyed; il is without doubt while providing for its offspring that this species renders the
greatest sen ice.
Numbers of spring flowers also suffer from the inevitable BparrOW; in our small piece of ground near
Brighton, the primroses that Iringe the paih- in the shrubberies arc entirely ruiiud till late in the si-ason. I
find the following entries in my notes referring to their depredations:—
"December 20. lsstl. Sparrows had already commenced lo crop the primroses, every flower or hud that
showed having been bitten off.
"January '2'J, lSSi. The bloom of the primroses totally destroyed by tin' Sparrows.
"February ¡1, ISSl. Hundreds of yellow and variegated crocuses lying on the beds, having been bitten in
pieces by the Sparrows. No flowers having appeared on the primroses, owing to their former robberies, the
tormentors now attacked the crowns of the plants, tearing out the young shoots.
"March ti, 1SSI. Violets, Ivolh white and purple, scattered about on the paths, having been cut off and
carried away by the Sparrows."
Having patiently suffered from the mischievous propensities of the Sparrows the whole of the spring, I
v»iltj ¡1 IilliI'LLi ol ji-I, 1. .ii,L i-lii^l-ii l l]. I'.H lb1 Hi.-' [' 111. I. • r 11 i 'i; "I liiruiL]n- j.nrjHjM^.