138 STORIES ABOUT BiRDS. 



It is scarcely necessary to describe them, for everybody knows the 

 sparrows. 



Everybody knows that the sparrow is a small, stout, active, and sometimes 

 very noisy, bird ; not clad in gay plumage, like some of its neighbours, but 

 very happy and contented in its humble station, and generally in good spirits. 



As a rule, it is rather social, and likes the company of its fellows. Little 

 parties of sparrows are often seen feeding and roosting together, but they 

 appear to have met by accident, and any little event disperses them. 



The sparrow resolves, in spite of every discouragement, to build near to 

 the dwellings of man. 



It knows where crumbs and choice morsels are to be found, thrown out 

 into the street, and is always ready for them. 



At night it roosts under the eaves, or in holes and crevices, or amongst 

 the ivy on the wall. In summer time it does not care so much for crumbs, as 

 plenty of food is to be found elsewhere. It visits the fields of standing corn, 

 and later in the year haunts the stubble field. 



It loves the seeds of many kinds of plants, such as the chickweed and 

 mouse-ear ; and as to the pea, it devours it greedily. On this account, the 

 presence of the sparrows in the garden when the peas are getting ripe is not 

 desirable. 



All kinds of means are employed to drive them away, such as nets and 

 scarecrows, and many other devices; but nothing seems to daunt the sparrows. 



We have ourselves done battle with them in this respect, but they got 

 the mastery. 



As soon as the peas were ripe, the sparrows came from all quarters and 

 set us at open defiance. They perched on the scarecrows, and with great 

 dexterity crept under the net, taking care not to be entangled. And so intent 

 were they on the peas, that they allowed us to approach within a yard or two, 

 and then, with great reluctance, barely moved out of our reach; in fact, it was 

 a game which should have the most peas, and the sparrows won it by a 

 large majority. 



Very seldom, however, does a sparrow pursue an insect on the wing, for 

 it is rather a clumsy bird, and though it may dart again and again, generally 

 loses it. It dearly loves to feed on house-flies, and comes seeking after them 

 close to the house. If it were not for the sparrows and the robins, these 

 troublesome insects would abound more than they do. 



