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a sparrow's nest in this city, in the last week of February, three or 

 four years ago, a half-fledged sparrow ; there were probably others in 

 the nest. Notwithstanding the above, there are reasons, however, for 

 believing that the breeding season does not fairly begin until the latter 

 part of April or the beginning of May. 



It may be owing to the fact that sparrows have been brought so 

 much into contact with man that they have attained to such a high 

 degree of intelligence. There is little doubt but that tlrjy exercise a 

 greater degree of cunning, it may be called, in st-lf-preservation and 

 applying means to ends than do most of our native birds. A case 

 illustrative of this fact I saw in one of the papers a short time ago. It 

 is as follows : A gentleman in one of the neighboring States having 

 been greatly pestered with sparrows undertook to destroy them. To 

 do so he soaked wheat in a solution of arsenic and water for some time, 

 and then had it thoroughly dried. This he scattered about in places 

 convenient for the sparrows to get. In a yard close by he had a lot of 

 chickens which he was in the habit of feeding with the same kind 

 of giain, unpoisoned of course, and where the sparrows were in the 

 habit of congregating and eating the wheat along with the chickens. 

 At first the sparrows readily ate the poisoned grain, but, soon ex- 

 periencing the disagreeable effects of eating grain otherwise than in the 

 company of the chickens, refused to eat wheat at all, whether poisoned 

 or not, unless the chickens would eat it also. They knew that it was 

 safest to eat in good company, and acted accordingly. This may be a 

 case of exaggeration and not quite in accordance with facts, but there 

 are so many well authenticated accounts of their sagacity as to leave no 

 room to doubt the statements made concerning their wonderful cunning. 



Sparrows are largely used as food in Europe, as well as in this 

 country ; even in this city I have been informed that many of them are 

 shot with noiseless guns and used in this manner, and are said to be 

 quite as good as rice-birds or snow-birds. It might have an appearance 

 of cruelty to destroy the pugnacious and self-maintaining little scavenger. 

 I confess I like to see the sparrows hopping about the streets in winter- 

 when all the other birds are gone ; but when it comes to be a choice 

 between our native songsters and the foreigner my patriotism wells out 

 n unmistakeable accents. Canada for Canadians, and if for love of our 



