Bird Life in a Suburban Parish ll.> 



AX'hilc reurin<4" their y()un<>' — and they have at least two, 

 if not four, broods every year — tliey feed them on (JTubs 

 and insects. It is only fair that this should be put to 

 their credit, for it is apt to be overlooked. 



One of their worst habits is that of oustin<>- the House- 

 martins from their nests, and appropriating them to their 

 own use. The theft is invariably betrayed by the imtidy 

 ends of straws and rubbish left sticking out of the entrance- 

 hole in straggling disorder. 



I have often watched a Sparrow sitting on a roof, 

 intently observing a pair of INIartins building up their mud 

 nest under the eaves. AVith the greatest interest it Matches 

 all their proceedings, chirping impudently now and then, 

 as if to hurry up the patient builders. Presently the nest 

 is finished, and the lining nearly in, and the Martins go 

 off for one more feather. On coming back, they find the 

 Sparrow has taken possession of the home they have made 

 for their own use with so much skill and labour. 



As for the ancient fable of the INIartins building up 

 the robbers by blocking up the hole with mud and leaving 

 them to die of starvation, I simply cannot believe it. AA^hat 

 w^ould the Sparrows be doing while the building up was in 

 progress and afterwards, if it was e\er completed ? AVith 

 their strong beaks they could, with the greatest ease, 

 demolish the mud as fast as it was l^rought, and break 

 up the whole nest from inside. The nests are so fragile 

 that a clumsy finger roughly inserted is enough to bring 

 the whole structure to the ground. Xo ; the story is of 



