1883-84.] Edinburgh Nahiralists Field Club. 125 



It was tnily amusing to observe the eagerness with which the movement of 

 my hand was watched, and with what voracity the produce of my eiJbrts was 

 devoured. As soon as my birds could fly, an open basket liaviug a perch 

 across it was set apart for their use. Here they rested by day and roosted 

 at night. It was placed in the open air in the morning, and removed at 

 night into the house. It often happened that my little charges had enjoyed 

 two or three hours' disporting before I was prepared to walk. I was, however, 

 recognised and greeted as soon as I appeared ; and whether I pursued the 

 course of the roads or rambled into the fields, they generally encircled me in 

 their flight, sometimes resting upon me and accepting a fly from my fingers. 

 These amusing proceedings continued four or five weeks, but after that 

 period, according to my wish, om* intercourse diminished daily. They asso- 

 ciated more and more with their congeners, who were collecting together as 

 is usual at this period of the year, and were absent more frequently and for 

 longer intervals ; but whenever aud wherever I again appeared, they seldoni 

 failed to come to me when I summoned them with my call. Having dis- 

 appeared for two or three days, I considered that our connection was alto- 

 gether dissolved ; but as I was walking to an adjoining village, one of the 

 birds gave me his wonted salutation in passing, and on my invitation perched 

 on one of my fingers. In this position I conveyed it to the village green, 

 and there in the presence of several persons cast it into the air, with some 

 exclamation expressive of my wish for its welfai'e. I was often solicited to 

 continue my interesting charge throughout the winter, but I had accom- 

 plished my object. I had promoted the enjoyment of existence ; that was 

 sufficient. By attempting more, and thwarting the demands of instinct, I 

 should probably have terminated that happiness which had been the object 

 of my care and interest." 



There is a very similar instance to the above of rearing a SwalloAv by- 

 hand given in Bewick's work, in a letter written in the year 1800 

 by the Eev. Walker Trevelyan of Long Witton, J^orthumberland. 

 It is wonderfnl how utterly devoid of fear birds are when reared in 

 this manner from the nest aud allowed their liberty ; and to my mind 

 they are infinitely more engaging and interesting than any caged bird 

 can be, which, to borrow from the nursery rhyme, — 



" Hops all day long on a straight bit of stick." 



Two instances have come to my knowledge of young Sparrows 

 reared in a similar manner to these Swallows, and in both instances 

 they seemed to have lost, or perhaps, more properly speaking, never 

 to have acquired, a fear of mankind. One of these cases I should 

 like to give a little in detail. A worthy doctor near Edmburgh found 

 in his garden a young Sj^arrow blown out of its nest. It was reared 

 by his family, and kept in a cage in the dining-room, but allowed to 

 come out at its pleasure, and, when old enough, to fly out through the 

 window, but it always returned to its kind protectors. Dining there 

 one day, I asked one of the ladies, as we walked from the drawing- 

 room, whether I should see her friend the Sparrow. She said, 

 "Certainly, for he always comes to dinner;" and during our repast, 

 when I was not thinking of him, he flew in by the window and settled 

 on my shoulder, then hopped on to the table and took some crumbs 

 from my fingers. Then he settled on my host, went the round of the 



