WHITE-CROWNED SPARROW 109 



tion relating to the last-mentioned bird was 

 this. The White-crown was upon the 

 ground under a dogwood tree and in mov- 

 ing about had found a small chunk of bread, 

 at which it was picking, when a House 

 Sparrow, spying it, darted in from a dis- 

 tance. The White-crown stood erect, and 

 with dignity received the sparrow with a 

 spirited rendering of its song, like a cock 

 crowing in defiance of his adversary. But 

 the House Sparrow, with more heed to his 

 appetite than care for the defiance, and 

 with a cunning and quickness of motion of 

 which the dignified White-crown would be 

 quite incapable, seized the piece of bread 

 and was gone. The White-crown for an in- 

 stant seemed nonplussed at the loss of its 

 meal, but calmly proceeded in its search 

 for food, doubtless feeling that the little 

 rascal was indecently greedy and a con- 

 temptibly sly fellow. Why should it not 

 feel so? 



