176 THE BIRDS OF YORKSHIRE. 



rest on light-vessels, and resume their course in the morning. 

 At Spurn in 1880 an immense flock, evidently freshly arrived, 

 was noticed on the shore ; there was a great " rush " from 

 October 14th to 19th 1884 ; another from 3rd to 7th October 

 1886, and again from the i8th to the 23rd. Many also came 

 in from 2nd to 6th November 1895. Large flocks of clean 

 looking birds, which are undoubtedly migratory, are frequently 

 noticed at the Teesmouth in winter, feeding on the reclaimed 

 lands. 



The damage caused by Sparrows to ripening corn has 

 long been a subject of complaint and led to the customs, 

 which formerly prevailed in many villages, of paying "Sparrow 

 money " for their destruction. At Falsgrave, now part of 

 Scarborough, in 1809, the overseers were empowered to pay 

 3d. per dozen for all killed and brought to them, and id. per 

 dozen for their eggs. In some parishes the money paid 

 formed an important amount, as at Worsborough, where in 

 1820 488 sparrows were paid for at Jd. each — £1 os. 4d. 

 (Wilkinson's Worsborough). At Patrington the prices were 

 for two Sparrows id., four unfledged ^d., six eggs |d. In 

 various other Holderness villages similar amounts were paid, 

 and this custom continued until about 1850, the village boys 

 thus obtaining a good supply of pocket money. In the 

 parishes of Micklefield near Leeds, and Wakefield, a premium 

 was offered for the killing of Sparrows, and was continued 

 until 1872 : for every old or fully fledged bird hd., for two 

 young ones |d., for four eggs -^d. At Linton-on-Ouse the 

 overseers paid id. for males and T^d. for females ; the gunners 

 used to shoot the male of a pair, the hen then got another 

 mate, and no less than seven males have been killed in one 

 place ; that is, a hen has had seven mates before she was 

 driven away {Zool. 1865, p. 9711). 



In connection with this bird there is a proverbial saying 

 near Hatfield, " There are no Sparrows in Lindholme," 

 which has arisen from the circumstance described as follows : — 

 " Tom o' Lindholme, being left at home to protect the corn 

 from Sparrows, to save trouble, got them all into the barn, 

 put a harrow into the window to keep them in, and starved 



