HOUSE-SPARROW 175 



delighted in a spice of danger. Watch him as he ap- 

 proaches the hens just fed with scraps from the table ; 

 in vain the cock— proud possessor of numerous wives — 

 lets drive at him. No good, for he returns again and 

 again, until at last he seizes in his beak the object of 

 his desire, perhaps a piece of turnip half as big as him- 

 self, quickly to be dropped, however, as soon as some more 

 palatable morsel is discovered. We have two or three 

 cats here that feed regularly with the fowls ; numerous 

 sparrows, of course, are there to pick and steal, as is 

 their wont. It is a curious fact that the cats make no 

 attempt to interfere with the Sparrows while feeding, 

 the birds often feeding within springing distance. When 

 Sparrows are numerous and food scarce, their pugna- 

 cious nature asserts itself ; if, however, two hen Sparrows 

 should disagree, the general result is interference by 

 some old male bird who has probably won his spurs in 

 many a hard-fought tussle, in right of which he lays 

 claim to decide upon the merits of the case ; but if the 

 cocks delight to fight and scratch, the hens will look on 

 with indifference. I have seen Sparrows attack and 

 drive away starlings, even from the places where the 

 latter had selected to nest. Around this house and 

 buildings Swallows can get no place for their nests, owing 

 to the fact that as soon as a nest is completed the 

 Sparrows, in the calmest way possible, take possession. 

 The Sparrow being a bird of social habits will, if en- 

 couraged, become tame, although like most bipeds of 

 bullying propensities, they are naturally suspicious, and 

 will not as a rule, unless pressed by hunger, venture 

 within the window ; whereas there are many other kinds 

 that will become very friendly by encouragement. I 

 remember this last winter — by no means a severe one — 



